LA 246 
.fl4 
1917 
Copy 1 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
BUREAU OF EDUCATION 



BULLETIN, 1917, No. 5 



REPORT OF AN INQUIRY 

INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AND 

SUPPORT OF THE COLORADO 

SCHOOL SYSTEM 



MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 

THE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER 

OF EDUCATION 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1917 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
U.S, BUREAU OF EDUCATION 



BULLETIN, 1917, No. 5 



REPORT OF AN INQUIRY 

INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AND 

SUPPORT OF THE COLORADO 

SCHOOL SYSTEM 



MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 

THE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER 

OF EDUCATION 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1917 



LA 



L*rU 






ADDITIONAL COPIES 

OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM 

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

AT 

10 CENTS PER COPY 



D. of D. 
JAN 25 1917 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Letter of transmittal 4 

Chapter I. 

The State of Colorado and its educational system 5 

(1) General conditions 5 

(2) The existing educational system 9 

Chapter II. 

Summary of recommendations 12 

(1) Recommendations relating to general administration 12 

(2) Recommendations concerning school support 13 

(3) Recommendations of general application 14 

Chapter III. 

General administration 16 

(1) The State board 16 

(2) The State superintendent 18 

(3) Certification of teachers 21 

(4) Vocational education 24 

(5) Local management 25 

(6) The county board of education 25 

(7) The county superintendent 26 

(8) Summary 29 

Chapter IV. 

Revenue and support ._ 31 

(1) Sources of support 32 

(2) Equalization of school support i 35 

(3) Summary 45 

Chapter V. 

The administration of school instruction 47 

(1) School buildings and equipment 47 

(2) School attendance 50 

(3) Retardation 65 

(4) Textbooks 68 

(5) Elementary course of study 70 

(6) Teachers 73 

(7) Teacher training 77 

(8) Supervision 81 

(9) Consolidation 87 

(10) Status of consolidation in Colorado 90 

(11) Summary ; 92 

3 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Education, 
Washington, January #, 1917. 
Sir : I am transmitting herewith for publication as a bulletin of 
the Bureau of Education a report of a study of the public-school 
system of the State of Colorado, which was made under my direction 
upon the request of the Colorado State survey committee. In accord- 
ance with my agreement with this committee, the study was confined 
to an investigation of the administration and support of public ele- 
mentary and secondary schools and their immediate effects upon 
conditions determining the character of work done in these schools. 
The study was made by A. C. Monahan, specialist in rural school 
administration, and Katherine M. Cook, assistant in rural education, 
both of whom spent considerable time in Colorado in the months of 
September, October, and November, 1916. 
Respectfully submitted. 

P. P. Claxton, 

Commissioner. 
The Secretary of the Interior. 
4 



REPORT OF AN INQUIRY INTO THE ADMINISTRATION 
AND SUPPORT OF THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Chapter I. 

THE STATE OF COLORADO AND ITS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 

The physical character of a State, the density and characteristics 
of its population, the occupations of its people, and its per capita 
wealth are all factors in determining its educational system and the 
kind of schools it should have and can maintain. 

(i) GENERAL CONDITIONS. 

Colorado, with an area of nearly 104,000 square miles and a popu- 
lation of 709,024, is one of the larger States in the Union, being 
seventh in area, though but thirty-second in population. The main 
range of the Rocky Mountains runs across it from north to south- 
west of the center. The central and west central portion comprises 
a large area of the mountainous mass of the Rockies. The loca- 
tion of many of the mining industries is within or bordering on 
this mountainous mass, which contains deposits of various metals 
and coal. The eastern two-fifths of the State is within the Great 
Plains section, and consists of a long slope descending from the 
mountains to the prairie section along the eastern border. This 
contains fertile farms along the river valleys, and large areas of it 
are utilized for grazing purposes. General farming is carried on 
along the river valleys where irrigation prevails. Within the cen- 
tral mountain mass there are numerous parks and small valleys, 
which produce vegetables, grain, and grass. On the western slope, 
especially in the southern and western portions, the irrigated valleys 
produce large quantities of fruit. The Platte and the Arkansas 
River Valleys, on the eastern slope, are the largest irrigated areas, 
and extend from the mountains to the eastern boundary of the State. 

Population. — The population is small, but growing rapidly. The 
majority of the people in the State have migrated from other States 
in the Union; relatively few are of foreign birth. Native whites 
constitute 82 per cent of the total population ; 16 per cent are foreign 
born, 1.4 per cent Negroes. Only about 35 per cent of the native 
white residents were born within the State. The increase in total 
population and the increase for rural and urban communities are 
shown in the table following. 

5 



6 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 1. — Increase in population. 



Year. 


Total 
popula- 
tion. 


Per cent 

of in- 
crease for 
Colorado. 


Per cent 

of in- 
crease for 

United 
States as 

whole. 


Per cent of 
population. 


Urban. 


Rural. 


1880 


194, 327 
413, 247 
539, 700 
799,024 










1890 


112 
30 

48 


25 
20 
21 


45 
48 
51 


55 


1900 


52 


1910 


49 







The bulk of population and of territory is on the eastern slope 
of the mountains. The four cities of over 10,000 population — Den- 
ver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Trinidad — are located here. 
Denver, with 256,000, constitutes over one-fourth of the total popu- 
lation of the State. The remainder of the urban population is con- 
tained in 20 cities and 3 incorporated towns, and constitutes 50.7 per 
cent of the total. Thirt}^-two counties are wholly rural, according 
to the United States Census classification. Excluding as urban the 
population of all incorporated cities and towns, 38 per cent of the 
population in 1910 was rural. 

Racial composition of the population. — Of the 16 per cent of the 
population foreign born, about 35 per cent came from Canada, Eng- 
land, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; about 18 per cent from Ger- 
many; 11.3 per cent from the Scandinavian countries, and 7 per 
cent from Kussia. Among the remaining 29 per cent nearly all the 
countries of southern Europe are represented. The foreign-born 
population, as a rule, is concentrated in groups, creating special prob- 
lems for the schools. In three counties the foreign-born population 
represents from 25 to 35 per cent of the total, in four others from 35 
to 50 per cent ; in all of these mining is the leading industry. Aside 
from these counties the problem of educating foreigners is con- 
fined largely to the cities. 

School attendance and illiteracy. — The percentage of illiteracy 
among the native white population is 1.5, among the foreign-born 
population 10.6. The percentage of illiteracy of the population be- 
tween 10 and 20 years is 1.6, which is much lower than that for the 
United States as a whole. A large portion of the adult population 
has come from other States. The low per cent of illiteracy among 
the native white population is due to the schools in these States as 
well as to those in Colorado ; the low percentage of illiteracy among 
the population between 10 and 20 years shows that the schools within 
the State are effective in reaching the majority of the population. 
In 1910, of all the children from 6 to 9 years old, 78.9 per cent at- 
tended school; of those from 10 to 14 years old, 93.4 per cent; of 
those from 15 to 17 years old, 62 per cent; and of those from 18 to 
20 years old, 20 per cent. Of the urban population between 6 and 14 



THE STATE OF COLORADO AND ITS SCHOOL SYSTEM. 7 

years of age, 89 per cent attended school ; between 15 and 20 years of 
age, 44 per cent. Of the rural population between 6 and 14 years 
of age, 85 per cent attended school ; between 15 and 20 years, 45 per 
cent. 

Farming and other occupations. — In 1910, one-fifth of the entire 
land area of the State was in farms; of the counties of the State, 
those in the northeast portion had the highest percentage of their 
total acreage in farms. Nearly 6,000,000 acres were under irrigation 
in 1910 or included in projects which were then under way. Rela- 
tively few of the farms are operated by tenants — about 18 per cent, 
or less than one-half the percentage for the United States as a whole. 
Figures compiled by the Colorado State Tax Commission from 1912 
to 1915 show that the relative valuation of farm lands and improve- 
ments and live stock increased from 21.5 per cent of the total taxable 
property valuation in 1912 to 31 per cent in 1915, while the value of 
city lands and improvements decreased from 40 per cent of the total 
in 1912 to 33 per cent in 1915. 

In the Federal Census of 1910 Colorado was listed as preeminently 
a mining State, but even at that time agriculture and manufacturing 
were becoming increasingly important industries. Approximately 
30,000 are now engaged in mining industries. The manufacturing 
is dependent largety upon the mineral resources and upon the prod- 
ucts of farms. The manufactures dependent upon the mining in- 
dustries, railroads, and carshops are concentrated largely in cities; 
those dependent upon farm crops, as sugar factories and those con- 
nected with the canning industry, are located in the small towns and 
villages in the agricultural communities. Sugar production in Colo- 
rado is greater than in any other State of the Union. The canning 
industry is important in the agricultural districts in the northern 
counties, and the natural grazing country so abundant in the eastern 
portion of the State has caused the development of butter and cheese 
making, meat packing, and condensed milk factories. As a whole, the 
manufacturing industries in 1909 paid in salaries $25,600,000, em- 
ployed 34,000 persons, and added in wealth to the State $49,500,000. 

That Colorado has the means to support good schools is shown 
by the following: 

Table 2. — Niwiber of men 21 years of age or' over for each 100 children 5 to 

18 years of age (1913). 



Utah 85 

New Mexico 88 

North Dakota 93 

Nebraska 95 

South Dakota 90 

Kansas 98 

Idaho 113 

COLORADO 125 



Arizona . 129 

Oregon , 148 

Washington 151 

Montana 165 

California , 169 

Wyoming : 179 

Nevada 180 



8 



BEPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 3. — Number of adult men and women for each 100 children 5 to 18 

years of age (1913). 



Utah 160 

New Mexico 162 

North Dakota 166 

South Dakota 175 

Nebraska 182 

Kansas 190 

Idaho 190 

Arizona 213 



COLORADO 231 

Oregon 253 

Washington 255 

Montana 261 

Wyoming 269 

Nevada 269 

California 301 



Table 4. — Value of property for each child of school age {5 to 18), 1913. 



New Mexico $4,700 

Idaho 5, 900 

Utah 6, 300 

South Dakota 7,500 

Arizona 8, 600 

Kansas . 9, 400 

■Wyoming 10, 200 

Washington 10, 400 



Nebraska • 10, 700 

North Dakota 10,900 

COLORADO 11, 100 

Oregon 11, 100 

Montana 12, 300 

California 15, 500 

Nevada 28, 400 

United States 7,337 



The following table shows how much Colorado, in comparison 
with other Western States, spent on education per $100 of assessed 
valuation and also of true valuation from the estimates of the United 
States Bureau of the Census. The figures are for 1912, the latest 
available : 

Table 5. — Expenditure for public schools and relation to taxable property, 1912. 



States. 



Expenditure 
for public 
schools, ex- 
cluding debt 
paid. 



Valuation of all 
taxable property, 
in millions of 
dollars. 



Assessed 
valua- 
tion, 
1912. 



Esti- 
mated 
true 
valua- 
tion, 
1912. * 



Expenditure (cents) 
for public schools 
for each $100 of 
valuation. 



Assessed 
valua- 
tion. 



True 
valua- 
tion. 



United States 

Montana 

Wyoming 

COLORADO 

New Mexico 

Arizona 

Utah 

Nevada 

Idaho 

Washington 

Oregon 

California 



$482, 886, 793 



69, 453 



175,425 



3, 354, 934 
997, 022 
6, 527, 569 
1,112,840 
1,321,631 
3, 636, 686 
625, 562 
2,959,124 

10, 526, 931 
6,095,111 

23,978,621 



347 
181 
422 
72 
140 
200 
101 
168 

1,005 
905 

2,921 



1,113 

345 

2,286 

502 

487 

735 

441 

591 

3,055 

1,843 

8,023 



69.5 



96.8 

55.2 
154.6 
153.6 

94. 
181. 

61. 
176. 
104. 

67. 

82. 



27.5 



30.1 
28.9 
28.5 
22.1 
27.1 
49.5 
14.2 
50.1 
34.4 
33.0 
29.9 



i As reported by the United States Census. 



THE STATE OF COLORADO AND ITS SCHOOL SYSTEM. 9 

(2) THE EXISTING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 

General administration. — The constitution of Colorado provides 
that the general supervision of the public schools shall be vested in 
a State board of education, composed of the superintendent of public 
instruction, the secretary of state, and the attorney general. In 
practice the only functions of the board are to render decisions in 
appeals by teachers or school officials from the decisions of the county 
superintendents and to approve formally recommendations for State 
certification made by the State board of examiners. This board of 
examiners, of which the State superintendent is chairman ex officio, 
consists of eight members, appointed by the State board of educa- 
tion, of whom four are to be ax3pointed on the recommendation of the 
presidents of the four institutions of higher education. All must be 
engaged in educational work at the time of appointment. The duties 
of the board are to examine credentials and recommend to the board 
of education the issuance of State certificates. 

The constitution provides a State superintendent of public instruc- 
tion, elected at large at each regular biennial election. His duties 
are defined by law and are very general. " He shall have general 
supervision over* the county superintendents and the public schools 
of the State " ; collect and publish school data ; apportion the school 
fund ; interpret the school law ; and prepare questions for the use of 
county superintendents in examining teachers. The office force of 
the State superintendent consists of a deputy, an assistant librarian, 
one clerk, and two stenographers. The State superintendent is ex 
officio State librarian, a member of the board of trustees of the State 
Teachers College and State Normal School, and president of the 
State board of education and of the board of examiners. 

In each county there is a county superintendent elected at large at 
the regular biennial election. No educational qualifications are re- 
quired. The salaries range from $100 to $2,800 per year. Legally the 
superintendent has general supervision over all the schools of the 
county, visits schools, decides boundary disputes, conducts examina- 
tions for teaching certificates, examines the accounts of school dis- 
tricts, apportions school funds within the county, approves the school 
census lists of the various districts, and reports annually to the State 
superintendent of public instruction. In practice he has little real 
authority in guiding educational interests of the county, as he has no 
voice in the selection of teachers, in the adoption of textbooks or the 
course of study, or in determining the kind of buildings to be 
erected. 

The actual unit of school administration in the State is the school 
district. There are 31 first-class districts (school population 1,000 



10 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

or over) ; 59 second-class districts (school population 350 to 1,000) ; 
1,758 third-class districts (school population less than 350). 

The third-class districts include all of the rural and small village 
schools. Each second and third class district has a board of three 
elected directors, one of whom is elected each year. These boards 
employ teachers, determine the length of school term, adopt the 
course of study, select textbooks, have charge of the school property ; 
in fact, they have sufficient control to make the school as good or as 
poor as they may wish. 

In first-class districts the board is composed of five members 
elected for a term of six years. The elections are held biennially, 
and the law governing them is of an entirely different nature from 
that governing elections in second and third class districts. First- 
class districts as a rule do not recognize the certificates issued by 
the county or the State, but conduct special examinations for appli- 
cants to teach in the district. They also employ special superin- 
tendents and supervisors and conduct meetings and reading circles 
independently of county institutes or State and county reading 
circles. This plan of district organization helps to emphasize the 
differentiation between the county and the city teaching force when 
the different kinds of districts exist in the same county. 

School support. — There are three sources of school income in 
Colorado — the State, the county, and the district. The State school 
fund is derived from rentals on school lands and from interest on 
the permanent school fund, derived from the sale of school lands. 

The county general school fund is raised by a levy placed by the 
county commissioners on all the taxable property of the county. 
It varies from 1 to 25 per cent of the total school expenditure. This 
and the State fund are apportioned to the school districts on the 
basis of the number of children in the district 6 to 21 years of age. 
The local district tax is the main source of school support. The 
school boards in first and second class districts and the qualified 
electors in third-class districts fix the amount to be raised. For the 
State as a whole 7 per cent of the total school expenditure comes from 
the State, 22 per cent from the county, and 71 per cent from local 
taxation. 

High schools. — There are three kinds of high schools — the district 
high school, established and maintained by the school district, con- 
fined by law to first and second class districts; union high schools, 
maintained by districts which unite for high-school purposes, 
supported either by a special tax on the union district territory or 
through pro rata of funds from the districts combining for this 
purpose; and county high schools maintained by the county and 
located at the county seat. 



THE STATE OF COLORADO A^D ITS SCHOOL SYSTEM. 11 

Higher education. — The State supports five institutions for higher 
education — the university, with a total enrollment for the year 1915-16 
of 1,402 students; the college of agriculture and mechanic arts, 
602; the school of mines, 174; the State teachers' college, 686; the 
State normal school, 127. All of these except the normal school at 
Gunnison are located in the north central portion of the State, within 
60 miles of each other and of Denver. With the exception of the 
last two named, which are controlled by one board, each institution 
has a distinct and separate board of control. There are in the State 
a number of private institutions of collegiate grade, among which 
the University of Denver and Colorado College have the largest 
enrollment. 

Teacher training. — There are two State institutions whose primary 
function is the training of teachers — the State Teachers College at 
Greeley, in the northeastern part of the State, and the State Normal 
School at Gunnison, in the southwestern part of the State. Besides 
these, the university maintains a college of education and the agri- 
cultural college a department of rural and industrial education, in 
both of which teachers are trained for elementary and high schools, 
but chiefly for high schools. Several private institutions have 
teacher-training departments also. 

Special schools. — The State supports an industrial school for boys, 
an industrial school for girls, a school for deaf and blind, a State 
home and training school for mental defectives, and a State home for 
dependent children, all governed by boards of from three to six 
persons appointed by the governor with the consent -of the Senate. 
These institutions are all independent of the State department of 
education. 



Chapter II. 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 



(i) RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 

(1) The present ex officio State board of education should be re- 
placed by a board consisting of seven members appointed by the 
governor with the approval of the senate, or elected by the people 
on a nonpartisan ballot. They should be men and women of scholar- 
ship and business ability, not necessarily engaged in education, and 
should be selected from various parts of the State. The term of 
office should be eight years, not more than two terms expiring each 
biennium. 

(2) The State superintendent of public instruction should be se- 
lected and appointed by the State board of education. The county 
superintendents of schools should be appointed by county boards of 
education. Both State and county superintendents should be se- 
lected because peculiarly fitted by experience, training, and educa- 
tion for the duties of these offices, and should be assured of tenure 
during satisfactory service. 

(3) The county should be the unit of administration for all 
schools outside of cities and towns which employ special superin- 
tendents devoting their entire time to administration and super- 
vision. The management of county schools should be vested in a 
county board of education consisting of five or seven members, 
elected at large from different sections of the county. The term of 
office should be at least six years with not more than two terms ex- 
piring any biennium. 

(4 )The State board of education for the State, and the county 
boards of education for the counties, should confine their activities 
largely to inspection and legislation, their educational policies be- 
ing carried out by their executive officers, the State and county 
superintendents respectively. The position of these boards in rela- 
tion to the State and county schools, respectively, should be similar 
to that of the board of regents to the State university. 

(5) The State board and the county boards should have their func- 
tions, powers, and duties specifically stated in the laws of the State. 
They should include those stated on pages IT and 25. 
12 



SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 13 

(6) The State board of education should have control of the cer- 
tification of teachers under regulations fixed by law. The entire 
system of certification should be revised. The State board of exami- 
ners should be abolished. A division of certification should be estab- 
lished in the State department of education. This division should 
be also a teachers' employment bureau rendering service to teachers 
and to school officials. 

(7) The State board of education should assume the duties now 
conferred upon the boards of control of the five State educational 
institutions for special classes : State Home for Dependent and Neg- 
lected Children, Industrial School for Boys, Industrial School for 
Girls, Home and School for Mentally Defective, School for Deaf 
and Blind. 

(8) The State superintendent of public instruction should have an 
adequate office force and several field assistants. The assistants, as 
well as the State superintendent, should have high professional 
qualifications and educational experience and should act as advisory 
agents to school officers throughout the State. 

(9) The local districts should retain their organization, the trus- 
tees acting as custodians of the school property and as advisory 
agents to the county boards. 

(10) All high schools except those in the independent city districts 
should be under the control and management of the county board 
of education. The county high-school boards should be abolished. 
Union high-school districts should be made elementary districts, the 
high schools bearing the same relation to the county system as the 
elementary schools. 

(2) RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING SCHOOL SUPPORT. 

(1) The State should provide by special appropriation an amount 
large enough to make its annual apportionment fund approximately 
one-third of the total expenditure for maintenance of schools. This 
arrangement should continue until the income from the permament 
fund and from school-land rentals is sufficient to supply one-third 
of the total expenditure. 

(2) The State apportionment fund should be distributed to the 
different counties in a manner that provides a fixed amount for every 
teacher employed, the remainder apportioned on the basis of aggre- 
gate attendance. Distribution on the census basis has no relation 
to school needs or to the effort made by counties and districts to 
provide educational facilities. 

(3) The State should give financial aid to encourage the estab- 
lishment of vocational education. Funds for this purpose should be 
derived from direct appropriation and not be taken from the appor- 



14 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

tionment fund. Schools receiving such aid or other form of special 
State aid should be under the general supervision of the State board 
of education. 

(4) The county as a unit should contribute an amount large 
enough, with the State apportionment, to maintain all schools in 
the county at least the minimum term and at the minimum salary 
required by law. The county board of education should fix school 
standards and qualifications for teachers engaged in schools receiv- 
ing State and county funds, in order that all children may have 
approximately equal educational opportunities. 

(5) The county school tax should be levied on all taxable prop- 
erty in the county and should be divided between the cities and the 
county district on the basis of the number of teachers employed and 
the aggregate attendance. The county board should expend the 
money assigned to the schools under its jurisdiction according to 
their needs and in order to serve best the educational interests of all 
children concerned. 

(6) The local districts should have the power and should be en- 
couraged to levy local taxes for special purposes; in advance of the 
minimum requirements of the county board of education, and should 
raise money by taxes or bonds for all permanent improvements. 

(3) RECOMMENDATIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION. 

(1) The educational qualifications of teachers should be increased 
each succeeding year, until by 1922 the State should require as a 
prerequisite: For elementary teachers, general education equivalent 
to four years in a standard high school, and in addition the equiva- 
lent of two years' professional training in a standard normal school 
or college; for high-school teachers, four years of education in a 
standard high school, and in addition four years in an approved 
college or university including professional courses in education. 

(2) The State should enlarge and extend its facilities for train- 
ing teachers, especially for service in rural schools. Additional 
normal schools should be established and located in places acces- 
sible to prospective teachers from all parts of the State. There 
seems to be immediate need for two more such schools. £Jo ad- 
ditional board of control is necessary. 

(3) The normal institutes should be abolished and six- week sum- 
mer schools substituted in at least five places in the State, selected 
with a view to general accessibility. This arrangement would serve 
as an immediate and temporary expedient for the extension of fa- 
cilities for training teachers and would undoubtedly greatly increase 
the total number in the State receiving the benefit of summer school 
instruction. 



SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. 15 

(4) Living conditions of rural teachers should be improved and 
salaries raised, so that trained and capable teachers for rural schools 
may be secured and retained. 

(5) Assistant supervisors should be furnished for county schools, 
to work under the general direction of the county superintendents, 
to insure better teaching and reasonable uniformity in regard to 
textbooks, courses of study, and methods of organization and man- 
agement. 

(6) Schools should be consolidated wherever practicable and 
transportation of children provided when necessary, in order to se- 
cure better educational facilities than the organization of one- 
teacher schools permits. 

■ (7) A definite policy which would result in more convenient and 
sanitary buildings should be adopted. The employment of a State 
architect is suggested as a possible method of securing this end. 

(8) More regular attendance should be secured. As a means 
toward this end the following are suggested: An adapted course of 
study, better teaching, and the enforcement of the compulsory 
attendance law in rural districts by the county boards of education. 

(9) The law providing for free textbooks should be mandatory 
rather than optional, and lists of approved books should be issued 
by the State department of education to assist school officers to make 
better and more appropriate selection. These lists should include 
only such publishers as have complied with the State law and should 
give the net prices. (See p. 68.) 



Chapter III. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 

Colorado's greatest need in public education is a type of central- 
ized organization, now wholly lacking, which would furnish the 
leadership and guidance necessary to insure State-wide progress. 
To establish this organization there will be needed : 

(1) A constitutional amendment to abolish the present ex efficio State board 
of education. In its place there should be a board of persons especially fitted 
for the work, selected and appointed by the governor with the approval of the 
State senate, or elected as are the members of the board of regents of the 
State university. 

(2) A constitutional amendment to convert the offices of the State superin- 
tendent of public instruction and of the county superintendents of schools from 
political elective offices to appointive ones, to be filled by persons especially 
equipped for educational work. 

(3) Legislation to make more effective the State department of education 
by conferring on the State board of education and the State superintendent of 
public instruction enlarged and clearly defined functions and power to perform 
them. 

(4) Legislation to adopt the county as the unit of support and of management 
of schools outside of the cities, and to create county boards of education clothed 
with authority to provide at least a reasonable minimum amount of education 
to all children in the county. 

f 

(i) THE STATE BOARD. 

The recommendation regarding this board is made because the 
need of a board which may be the actual head of the school sys- 
tem is realized. The State superintendent of public instruction 
should not be a member of it, but should be its executive officer, 
selected and appointed by it. A board constituted as the present one 
is can not be in fact an effective head of an educational system. 
It has legal authority enough, for it is charged by the constitution 
"with the general supervision of the public schools of the State. 
However, no board has ever attempted to assume any supervision, 
general or otherwise, or authority of any kind over the schools. An 
examination of the minutes of the meetings for the past four years 
shows that the board has met 28 times, but has transacted no business 
except (1) the formal approval of teachers' certificates recommended 
by the State board of examiners, and (2) consideration of appeals 
16 



•» 



GENEKAL ADMINISTRATION. 17 

from decisions of the county superintendents, usually relating to 
boundary disputes or to the refusal of teaching certificates. 1 

Criticism of the board for failure to assume the functions conferred 
by the constitution is not altogether deserved. The members of the 
board are elected to other State offices for which they are supposed 
to be fitted, the duties of which require their full time. Other States 
have tried the same plan, and none has found it successful except as 
an expedient in pioneer conditions, when the number of schools was 
small, when little was attempted in education beyond the three R's, 
and when the regular duties of State officers required comparatively 
little time. Its failure is indicated by the action of the number of 
States which have now substituted a more effective board. 

A State board of education is recommended, composed of seven 
members who shall be men and women of affairs, scholarship, and 
business ability, but not necessarily engaged in education. They 
should be from various parts of the State, selected and appointed by 
the governor, with the approval of the senate, or elected by popular 
vote. The term of office should be at least eight years, with not more 
than two terms expiring each biennium. Such a method of appoint- 
ment would insure a continuity of service and freedom from political 
interference. The members should serve without pay, but should 
receive their actual traveling and other necessary expenses and prob- 
ably also a reasonable per diem for time actually given. 

The State board of education should have power and it should be 
its duty: 

( 1 ) To assume general charge of the educational interests of the State ; to 
determine educational policies and scope of the public school system, particu- 
larly those concerned with organization and administration. 

(2) To appoint and to fix the salary of the State superintendent of public 
instruction, and to appoint assistants on his recommendation and to fix their 
salaries. 

(3) To assist the State superintendent of public instruction in the duties con- 
ferred upon him by the constitution or laws. 

(4) To apportion the State school funds to the counties and to enforce State 
laws and regulations by withholding from any county a portion of the school 
funds if schools within the county are not maintained in accordance with the 
State laws. 

(5) To have complete control of the certification of the teaching force, includ- 
ing the exercise of the functions now conferred upon the State board of exami- 
ners ; to fix grades of certificates and qualifications required, and to recommend 
to the State superintendent the issuance of certificates. 

(6) To maintain as a division of the State department of education a State 
teachers' employment bureau which would serve to assist local authorities in 
finding qualified teachers. 

1 During 1915-16 the board met eight times, confirmed 225 certificates, and heard two 
appeals for certificates and six concerning boundaries. 

74891°— Bull. 5—17 2 



18 EEP0ET ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

(7) To approve the State course of study prepared by the State department 
of education. 

(8) To approve the charters of all higher education institutions that may be 
established in the State and to determine standards for conferring collegiate 
degrees under general regulations fixed by law. 

(9) To have general supervision of vocational or other special schools or 
departments of schools receiving special State aid or Federal or other financial 
aid given through the State (higher institutions excepted), whether established 
by the State or established by local authorities and under immediate local 
control. 

(.10) To control and manage: 

(a) State Home for Dependent and Neglected Children; 

(b) State Industrial School for Boys; 

(c) State Industrial School for Girls; 

(d) State Home and Training School for Mental Defectives; 

(e) State School for the Deaf and Blind; 

and to exercise general supervision over similar institutions receiving special 
State aid established by local communities and under immediate local control. 

The State superintendent should be the executive agent of the 
State board of education. The board should not attempt to handle 
the details of the work of the State school organization. It should 
confine its attention to the larger features of administrative prob- 
lems. These are well stated in the report of the survey of Denver: 

These larger features relate, first and most important, to the selection, from 
time to time, of the executive officer or officers upon whom the board is to 
depend for advice, and for the execution of its policies; to the determination, 
after listening to the recommendations and the advice of its executive officers, 
of the educational and business policies for the, expansion of the school system ; 
the inspection of the results obtained by their executive officers in the manage- 
ment of the business ; presentation to the people, through the medium of an 
annual report, of the needs of the school system ; and the prevention of unwise 
legislation relating to the schools by either the city or the legislature. 

Proper school organization and management call for a clear separation of 
the work of school control into legislative, executive, and inspectional functions. 
All sound theory, and the results of both business and educational adminis- 
trative experience, call for a clear separation of legislative and executive 
functions. It is the prime business of the board of school control to hear 
reports, to listen to the advice of its executive officers, and then to legislate; 
it is the prime business of the executive officers to execute the legislation 
enacted, and to report the results to the board ; and it is the function of the 
board in turn to judge the results of its policies and the work of its executive 
officers by inspecting the results obtained. 

O) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. 

The powers and duties of the State superintendent of public in- 
struction, other than the execution of the orders of the State board of 
education, should be definitely fixed by the legislature. A sufficient 
number of field agents should be employed to enable the department 
to keep in close touch with schools in all parts of the State. These 



GENETS A T, ADMINISTEATION". 19 

should serve as inspectors of secondary schools, vocational schools, 
and special schools receiving State aid, and as advisers and assistants 
to the State superintendent in the performance of his duties. 

The State superintendent of public instruction should have power 
and it should be his duty — 

(1) To supervise all educational work supported in whole or in part by the 
State (higher educational institutions excepted) and report thereon to the 
State board of education. 

(2) To serve ex officio on the boards of control of all educational institu- 
tions of the State not under the management and control of the State board of 
education. 

(3) To visit different parts of the State in the interest of education and to 
collect and diffuse information regarding school affairs. 

(4) To prepare, publish, and distribute matter for the promotion of public- 
school work. 

(5) To collect reports from county and city superintendents and from private 
institutions, and to prepare and publish biennially a complete report on the 
status of education. 

(6) To prepare blank forms for use by county superintendents for keeping 
records and in collecting data ; for the use of county treasurers in keeping 
account of school receipts and expenditures; and all other forms necessary for 
the use of school officers. 

(7) To compile and publish the school laws of the State. 

(8) To interpret school laws and to aid school officers and teachers in all 
matters relative to the conduct of the schools. 

(9) To prepare, subject to the approval of the State board of education, the 
courses of study for the public schools and to approve the courses of study in 
all special schools receiving State aid. 

(10) To enforce State laws and regulations by withholding, pending the 
action of the State board, a portion of the State fund from counties disregard- 
ing them. 

(11) To hold annual conventions of county and city superintendents. 

(12) To prepare, or have prepared, questions for examination for teachers' 
certificates; to issue certificates on recommendation of the State board of 
education. 

(13) To prepare or have prepared plans and specifications for school build- 
ings and have the same published. 

(14) To perform such other duties as may be assigned by law or as the 
State board may direct. 

The State superintendent of public instruction should be selected 
and appointed by the State board of education in a manner similar 
to the method of selection and appointment of city superintendents 
by city boards of education and college presidents by college boards 
of trustees. Selection should be based upon particular fitness for 
the position to be filled, regardless of political affiliations or of resi- 
dence within or without the State. The first appointment should 
be for a specified term, sufficiently long to insure the most efficient 
service: reappointment might be for an indefinite term, the State 
board having power to remove the incumbent from office for in- 



20 KEPORT ON THE COLOEADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

efficiency or malfeasance. A State officer so appointed, able to count 
on continuous tenure during good service, would become the actual 
head of the State system, first in responsibility and opportunity, and 
would be in a position to develop the educational work of the State 
to the highest point of efficiency. 

The chief school officers of 15 States no longer are elective political 
officers, and determined efforts are being made in many other States 
to change from the elective to the appointive method, so that per- 
sons of the best, ability may be chosen. A study of the length of 
terms served by the State superintendents in the United States shows 
that the terms of elected superintendents were almost universally 
short when compared with the length of terms served by superin- 
tendents appointed in various ways. Colorado, for instance, since 
1885 — 32 years, or 16 terms— has had 11 superintendents. 

It is noteworthy also that in the States in which the superin- 
tendents are elected low salaries are paid; in the other States they 
are much higher and compare very favorably with those paid to 
presidents of State universities and to superintendents of schools 
in cities employing professional officers. If Colorado adopts the 
appointive method it should provide an adequate salary, at least as 
great as that paid to the presidents of the State institutions of higher 
education. In the following States among those with appointive 
superintendents, chief school officers are selected because of their pro- 
fessional training, educational experience, and fitness for the posi- 
tion. Their salaries are as follows : New York, $10,000 ; New Jersey, 
$10,000; Massachusetts, $6,500; Vermont, $5,000; Pennsylvania, 
$5,000; Ehode Island, $5,000; Minnesota, $4,500; Ohio, $4,000; 
Maine, $4,000 ; New Hampshire, $4,000. Among the elected superin- 
tendents one receives $7,500, three $5,000, and three $4,000. Eighteen 
States pay the same salary as Colorado ($3,000 a year) and eight 
States pay less. 

The present Colorado law providing for the election of the State 
superintendent specifies no qualifications of an educational nature, 
nor of any sort except that he must be at least 30 years of age, a 
citizen of the United States, and must have lived in Colorado at least 
two years. The result is that successful experience in educational 
work has not been and is not regarded as an essential. Probably in 
no State are State superintendents of public instruction nominated 
and elected with less regard for professional training and experi- 
ence in educational work. 

The principal function of the State department of education 
should be leadership. To assure this the State superintendent must 
command the respect of school officers and must be selected with the 
same care as the president of a State university. The State through 
the department should also assume enough control and supervision 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 21 

over education to assure that the State funds apportioned for educa- 
tion are so used that the best possible results may be obtained. The 
State department of education should not burden itself with the de- 
tails of county and local management. These should be left to 
county and district authorities. County management and a certain 
amount of local district management is desirable also, because it 
promotes county local interest and initiative. The State superin- 
tendent should have a sufficient number of assistants to keep in close 
touch with the whole system and to render aid when needed; also 
authority to require reports, collect data, and generally to enforce the 
laws in regard to education. 

At present Colorado has a smaller force in the department of 
education than any other State with so large a school population. 
The legal powers conferred on the State superintendent are very 
general and give little real authority. The law states : " He shall 
have general supervision over the county superintendents and the 
public schools." In practice no State superintendent has attempted 
to exercise actual supervision, either over the superintendents or the 
schools. In fact, school authorities do not feel that the State super- 
intendent has any jurisdiction over them; even county superintend- 
ents quite generally seem to feel that the authority of the State 
superintendent over them is limited to requiring annual reports. 
Even these annual reports are obtained with difficulty, although the 
law states that they must be submitted on or before the first Tuesday 
of each September with data for the preceding school year. In prac- 
tice few superintendents submit reports at the time designated. The 
majority of the reports are not submitted until the State superin- 
tendent has made several requests for them. Even then many of 
them are very inaccurate. The reports submitted by the 63 county 
superintendents for the school year 1914-15 were examined and all 
summaries, averages, financial balances, etc., were correct on only 
seven reports. Even the school census figures in the reports of 26 
superintendents did not agree with figures submitted by the same 
superintendents earlier in the year in certified reports used as a 
basis for the apportionment of State funds. 

(3) CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS. 

The State board of examiners seems to have no functions that 
could not be performed better by the State superintendent of public 
instruction and the reorganized State board of education, and should, 
therefore, be abolished. Under the present system the board ex- 
amines the credentials of candidates for State certificates and makes 
recommendations to the State board of education for the issuance of 
certificates. The kinds of State certificates are as follows : 



22 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



(1) State temporary certificates, valid for five years, issued to 
graduates of approved colleges who have taken at least one-sixth of 
their college work in educational subjects. 

(2) State diplomas, to candidates with the foregoing qualifications 
who have had two years of teaching experience. 

(3) Certificates giving the right to instruct in normal institutes. 

(4) Honorary State diplomas, to persons who have rendered 
" eminent service in the educational work of the State " for a period 
of not less than six years. 

(5) Honorary State diplomas, to teachers who possess the "req- 
uisite scholarship and culture and whose eminent professional abil- 
ity" has been established by not less than two years' successful 
teaching in the public schools of the State. 

Each board makes its own interpretation of what constitutes " emi- 
nent service " and " requisite scholarship and eminent professional 
ability." There is no standard. 

The number of State diplomas issued in the four biennial periods 
since the law for State certificates was passed is as follows : 



Table 6. — State certificates. 



Periods. 


Honor- 
ary. 


State 
diploma. 


State 
tempo- 
rary cer- 
tificate. 


1909-10 


4 

48 

35 

114 


197 

70 

207 

82 


170 


1911-12 


233 


1913-14 


479 


1915-16 


226 







County superintendents issue three grades of certificates, all on 
examinations prepared by the State department, but given, corrected, 
and rated by the county superintendents. The grade of certificate 
depends upon the rating given in the examination. Diplomas from 
the two-year course in the State normal school and from the two and 
four year courses in the teachers' college are legal life certificates. 
A certified copy of such diplomas must be filed in the office of the 
county superintendent of schools in the counties where graduates are 
teaching. 

The entire system of awarding teachers' certificates should be re- 
vised. Best results would come, probably, if all certificates were 
issued by the State department of education, under regulations of 
the State board of education. The kinds of certificates to be issued 
and the requirements for each should be fixed by the State board 
under general State legislation. No State legislature should attempt 
to fix standards in a matter of this sort further than to require a 
definite amount of education, both general and professional, as a 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 



23 



prerequisite for teaching in the State. It is recommended that the 
legislature give the reorganized board of education full control of 
certification, with the proviso that after a certain date, say July 1, 
1918, all teachers entering the profession for the first time be required 
to have as a minimum an educational equivalent of four years in a 
standard high school and six weeks of professional work in a sum- 
mer school of recognized standing; after July 1, 1920, the equivalent 
of four years in a standard high school and one year in a standard 
normal school; after July 1, 1922, the equivalent of four years in a 
standard high school and two years in a normal school or in a college 
department of education. Similar legislation in other States has 
been very" successful in raising the educational qualifications of the 
teaching force. That it is needed in Colorado is evident from the 
data relative to the teachers given later. The diplomas of the State 
teachers' college and the State normal school should be recognized 
as teaching certificates, valid for two years if recorded with the State 
board, renewable by the board on evidence of successful teaching- 
experience and of having completed a professional reading course 
fixed by the board. Certain certificates now issued, such as State 
certificates " for eminent service " and county certificates of the third 
grade, serve no desirable purpose and should be abolished. 

As time goes on certificates should be issued almost wholly on 
credentials of education or of education and teaching experience, 
as the examination method as usually conducted is unreliable. If 
some certificates must continue to be granted through the examina- 
tion method, the whole matter of preparing questions, correcting 
papers, and issuing certificates should be taken care of in the State 
department. When county superintendents correct the papers, as at 
present, there is no uniformity; the grading is largely a matter of 
personal opinion. The unfairness of the present method is shown by 
the following grades given by seven county superintendents on the 
same papers. The papers were exact copies of those written by a 
candidate in the August, 1916, examinations. 

Table 7. — Grades given by seven county superintendents to fotir examination 
papers written by one candidate for a first-grade teaching certificate. 





United 

States 

history. 


Geog- 
raphy. 


Reading. 


Arith- 
metic. 


Superintendent A 


Per cent. 
W 
50 
81 
89 
44 
72 
91 


Per cent. 
77 
57 
88 
69 
63 
78 
84 


Per cent. 
59 
57 
65 
85 
85 
80 
70 


Per cent. 
70 


B 


69 


c 


88 


D 

E 


66 
66 


F 


65 


O 


73 






Variation. 


44-91 


57-88 


57-85 


65-88 







24 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO-- SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Below is a table showing the seven superintendents arranged under 
each of the four headings in the order of their ratings from lowest 
to highest. For instance, Supt. E gave the lowest rating in United 
States history; Supt. G gave the highest rating in the same subject. 
It will be noted that no superintendent gave uniformly high, low, 
or medium ratings. This becomes particularly evident if lines be 
drawn connecting the four A's, the four D's, and the four G's. 



Table 8. — Superintendents arranged from lowest to highest according 

given examination. 



to ratings 





United 

States 

history. 


Geog- 
raphy. 


Reading. 


Arithme- 
tic. 


Lowest 


E 
B 
A 
F 
C 
D 
G 


B 
E 
D 

A 

F 
G 
C 


B 
A 
C 
G 
F 
D 
E 


F 


Second 


D 


Third 


E 


Fourth 


B 


Fifth 


A 


Sixth 


G 


Highest 


c 







To handle the work of issuing certificates a division of certifica- 
tion should be established in the State department. In connection 
with this a teachers' employment bureau should be established. Such 
bureaus are conducted successfully in several States, notably Massa- 
chusetts and Minnesota. The records required for certification and 
those for employment agencies are practically identical. With this 
agency teachers from Colorado, or other States desiring positions in 
the State, might register. The agency should also have on file lists 
of persons available for institutes, teachers' conventions, directors' 
associations, parent-teacher associations, and similar organizations. 
The fees now charged for certificates would make such a division self- 
supporting. 



(4) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. 

Special State aid is recommended to encourage vocational educa- 
tion in trades, industries, agriculture, and housekeeping in schools 
below college grade. Schools receiving such assistance would appeal 
to a large number of the boys and girls between 14 and 18 years of 
age now out of school because they lack interest in the present curric- 
ulum, also to those who desire to prepare more specifically for in- 
dustrial life. 1 These schools should be supervised by the State de- 
partment in cooperation with local authorities. State funds might 
properly be used also to assist in employing industrial supervisors as 



1 See Report on Vocational Education in Denver School Survey, 1916. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 25 

assistants to county superintendents. Experience in other States 
shows that the movement for vocational training progresses most 
rapidly and effectively when aided and supervised by the State and 
that little progress is made without it except in some larger cities. 

(5) LOCAL MANAGEMENT. 

The establishment of the county unit for local administration is 
recommended. There should be a county board of education with 
duties similar to those of the present city school boards, whose 
executive officer should be a county superintendent of schools, ap- 
pointed by the board. The appointment of county superintendents 
requires a constitutional amendment, and even if favorable action is 
taken by the legislature of 1917 and the amendment carried at the 
next general election following, the plan can not become effective 
until January, 1921. But the county unit plan for administration 
and taxation can become effective for the school year of 1917-18 if 
the legislature in 1917 passes the law for its adoption. 

Colorado is now organized for rural school administration on what 
is known as the district basis. This is a system which developed in 
colonial times in the East and was adopted by practically all of the 
States in the early days of settlement. As the population increased 
and additional functions were added to the schools, the defects of the 
system became apparent. It has now been abandoned in all States 
but three east of the Mississippi River and in six States west of the 
river. Movements are on foot in every State having the district 
system to substitute a larger unit. The county is now the unit of 
organization in 17 States, and the principal unit of taxation for the 
support of schools in six others. This system has been successful 
wherever tried and no State trying it has ever returned to the town- 
ship or district system. 

(6) THE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. 

The county board should be composed of five or seven members 
elected at large from the entire county, for terms of six or eight 
years, with not more than one-third of the terms expiring any bien- 
nium. Not more than two members should be residents of inde- 
pendent city districts (i. e., of districts employing superintendents 
giving their whole time to administration and supervision). This 
board should have general administrative authority over the schools 
of the county, with powers and duties similar to those now exercised 
by boards in first-class districts. It should, within the provisions 
of law on these subjects, determine the amount of money necessary 



26 EEPOBT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

to support the schools, fix minimum salaries and qualifications for 
teachers, and minimum term for the schools. The levy recommended 
by the board should be made by the county commissioners. The 
money raised by the levy, together with the State fund, should be 
expended by the county board according to the needs of the indi- 
vidual schools after dividing (on the basis of the number of teachers 
employed and the aggregate attendance) between the independent 
cities and the rest of the county as a single district (see section on 
school revenue). District organizations should be retained, but the 
county board should have power to change the district lines and 
to divide or consolidate districts in their discretion. Local trustees 
should be elected in each district, as at present, to act as custodians 
of the school buildings, to make recommendations to the county board 
relative to the school, and to act as agents of the county board as may 
be required. The local districts should furnish school buildings and 
for this purpose be alloAved to tax themselves or to issue bonds as at 
present. They should also be allowed to levy taxes for the purpose 
of employing special teachers, in addition to those employed by 
the county, or take other progressive steps for the improvement of 
the schools in the district. This is practically the system suggested 
by the committee on rural schools of the Colorado State Teachers' 
Association submitted to the legislature in 1915 for action, under 
the title " House bill No. 243 ; a bill for an act in relation to public 
education," known as the " County unit bill." 

The county boards of education should replace the present county 
high school boards and assume the entire management of the county 
high schools, establishing branches so that high-school education 
may be within reach of all prospective high-school pupils in the 
county. The present union high-school districts should be made 
elementary school districts wherever feasible. The union high schools 
will then become district high schools.' If such consolidation is 
impracticable, the present union high schools should become branches 
of regular county high schools. 

( 7 ) THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT. 

All that has been said in regard to making the State superintend- 
ent an appointive officer applies equally to the county superintend- 
ent. The superiority of the appointive plan is quite generally recog- 
nized and it is being widely adopted throughout the United States. 
In 23 States the county or other rural superintendents are now 
appointed officers; in 25 they are still elected political officers. A 
recent study made by the Bureau of Education relative to the educa- 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 27 

tion, training, experience, and terms of county superintendents shows 
that the term of service in States in which they are appointed is 
much longer than in the States in which they are elected, and that 
men and women with more general education and teaching experience 
are selected in appointive States for county superintendents than 
in those States in which they are elected by popular vote. For 
instance, among the appointed county superintendents at the time 
the study was made, 36 per cent were serving their first term, 35 
per cent had served two or more full terms; among the elected 
superintendents 52 per cent were serving their first term and only 
19 per cent had served two or more full terms. This summary does 
not include the rural superintendents of New England, many of 
whom have served many years, nor the district superintendents of 
New York or the county superintendents of Ohio, who, on account of 
the changes in the State school laws, are all serving their first terms. 
As to education, approximately 83 per cent of the rural superintend- 
ents in New England have had four years of standard college educa- 
tion and an additional 12 per cent have had at least two years of 
college work. In New York State 32 per cent have had complete 
college education, and an additional 50 per cent from one to three 
years of college. Among the county superintendents appointed in 
various ways 1.7 per cent had elementary education only, while 
among those elected by the people approximately 8 per cent had 
elementary education only. Among the appointed superintendents 
44 per cent have had full standard college education, while among 
the elected superintendents less than 15 per cent are college grad- 
uates. 

Training and experience. — An attempt was made in connection 
with this study of Colorado to determine the education, training, 
and experience of the county superintendents of the State. It hap- 
pens that the work was done at an inopportune time — during the two 
months preceding the biennial election. With primaries held in Sep- 
tember and election early in November, practically the entire time 
of a majority of county superintendents was taken up with political 
matters. One superintendent wrote after election that he " had been 
too busy to reply before." The 40 who replied include those gen- 
erally recognized as the best-qualified superintendents of the State. 
Experience in collecting personal data of this sort in many States 
from superintendents and teachers shows that the well trained and 
well qualified are always the most willing to give the information 
asked for. A table giving the education, training, etc., of those re- 
porting is given in the section on Supervision in this report. 



28 



KEPQET ON THE COLOEADO SCHOOL -SYSTEM. 



Salaries. — If superintendents are appointed by the county boards 
of education, salaries may be paid sufficient to attract and hold the 
men and women desired. Under the present plan salaries are fixed 
by law. Some are adequate, but the majority are entirely inadequate. 
They are given below. The counties are divided into seven classes 
by the State legislature. The classification is arbitrary, and not 
properly related to the area, wealth, number of schools, or popula- 
tion of the counties. It is made solely for the purpose of fixing the 
salaries of county superintendents. 

Table 9. — Salaries of county superintendents. 



Classes. 



Counties. 


Salary. 


4 


$2,800 


5 


2,800 


11 


1,500 


25 


1,100 


14 


900 


2 


500 


2 


100 



First class . . . 
Second class. 
Third class. .. . 
Fourth class . 
Fifth class... 
Sixth class . . . 
Seventh class 



Tenure. — Tenure of office is an important factor in the efficiency 
of the county superintendency. Two years, the present term, is too 
short a time in which to carry out educational reforms, especially 
when the superintendent's function is advisory only and these re- 
forms must come about through his ability to persuade a large num- 
ber of directors — three for each district — to adopt them. Good work 
is not always rewarded at popular elections. Even the feature of 
accepting persons not specifically trained in supervision would be 
overcome in some degree if the incumbents of the county superin- 
tendencies remained long enough so that experience in the position 
would compensate in some measure for lack of training. In practice, 
however, this does not happen. In 1914, of the 63 superintendents 
in Colorado 23 were reelected. Of the present superintendents 
(November, 1916) : 

Serving their first terms 40 

Serving their second terms 18 

Serving their third terms 4 

Serving his fourth term 1 

The following table shows the tenure of office of county superin- 
tendents during the past 20 years. A summary of this table shows 
that since 1890 Colorado has had 478 county superintendents. 

Served one term each 284 

Served two terms each 139 

Served three terms each 40 

Served four terms each 11 

Served five terms each 3 

Served seven terms 1 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 



29 



Table 10. — Length of service, in years, of county superintendents in Colorado 

from Jan. 1, 1890, to Dec. 31, 1916. 



Counties. 



Adams 

Alamosa. . . 
Arapahoe.. 
Archuleta.. 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 
Clear Creek 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley — 

Custer 

Delta 

Denver.... 
Dolores.... 
Douglas...- 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso 

Fremont... 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison.. 
Hinsdale... 
Huerfano.. 
Jackson.... 
Jefferson... 

Kiowa 

Kit Carson. 
Lake 





Number 




Number 


of dif- 
ferent 


Average 

terms, 

in years. 


of years. 


super- 
intend- 




ents. 




13 


4 


3.25 


2 


1 


2.0 


27 


9 


3.0 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


11 


2. 45 


27 


9 


3.0 


23 


6 


3.83 


27 


8 


13.37 


27 


9 


3.0 


27 


7 


3.85 


27 


7 


2 3.85 


27 


10 


2 2.7 


6 


2 


3.0 


27 


6 


8 4.5 


27 


9 


3.0 


13 


5 


2.6 


27 


11 


2.45 


27 


5 


«5.4 


27 


9 


3.0 


27 


6 


4.5 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


7 


3.85 


27 


9 


3.0 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


8 


3.4 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


10 


2.7 


10 


3 


3.1 


27 


7 


3.85 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


10 


2.7 


27 


7 


3.85 i 



Counties. 



La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas - 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Moffat 

Montezuma. 
Montrose — 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco.. 
Rio Grande . 

Routt 

Saguache — 

San Juan 

San Miguel.. 
Sedgwick... 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington. 

Weld 

Yuma 



State. 



Number 
of years. 



27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
23 
6 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 
17 
27 
27 
27 



Number 
of dif- 
ferent 
super- 
intend- 
ents. 



7 
7 
2 

10 
7 
9 
7 
9 
9 
7 
5 

10 
8 

10 
8 

10 
8 
5 
8 
7 

10 
5 
9 



478 



Average 

terms, 

in years. 



4.5 
5.4 
3.37 
4.5 
3.37 
3.85 
3.28 
3.0 
2.7 
13.85 
3.0 
13.85 
3.0 
3.0 
3.85 
15.4 
2.7 
337 
2.7 
3.37 
2.7 
3.37 
«5.4 
6 3.37 
2 3.85 
2.7 
3.4 
3.0 
4.5 
3.0 



3.29 



i One served 8 years. 
2 One served 9 years. 
» One served 15 years. 



* One served 11 years. 
6 One served 10 years. 



(8) SUMMARY. 

Colorado's present system lacks the necessary centralization to 
insure State-wide progress. The present ex officio board of education 
performs no function that could not be done as well by the State 
superintendent alone. There is need for a different sort of board, 
one created by law as the actual head of the school system and com- 
posed of members appointed or elected on account of their peculiar 
fitness for the functions to be performed. This board should deter- 
mine educational policies to be carried out by its executive officer. 

The present State superintendency is a political office; in filling 
it little regard is paid to professional training and experience in edu- 
cational work. The powers and duties now conferred upon the 
office are not definite or broad enough to make it the important fac- 
tor in the State school system that it should be. Few assistants are 
employed; an inadequate salary is provided. The chief State school 
officer should be selected for personal fitness by the State board of 
education with the same degree of care and in the same manner as 



30 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

the presidents of the State institutions of higher education are se- 
lected. 

The State board of examiners performs no functions that could 
not be better performed by the State department of education. The 
entire system of certification of teachers is inadequate to the present 
needs. 

Opportunities for vocational education are greatly needed in the 
State, particularly for the trades and industries, argriculture, and 
housekeeping. Experience in other States seems to show that much 
progress may be expected only when special State aid is provided. 

The present system of local mangement (as well as of support) 
is very unsatisfactory. Colorado in adopting a larger unit for 
management will be doing what more than half the States have 
already found it necessary to do. The county system would remedy 
the principal defects of the present system ; it would provide also a 
means of obtaining for the country schools a professional head in 
the person of a county superintendent no longer a political officer 
but a professional school officer, selected with the same care as city 
superintendents are selected in the best cities. 



Chapter IV. 

REVENUE AND SUPPORT. 

The present method of apportioning the State fund to the counties, 
and the State and county funds to the districts, in proportion to the 
number of children 6 to 21 years of age, is fundamentally wrong, since 
it does not depend in any way on what the districts are actually 
doing in education. It does not equalize the burden of support 
among them, nor does it encourage educational efforts to the end that 
better teachers may be had, all children enrolled and required to 
attend regularly, and longer terms of school maintained. It should 
be abandoned and a more equitable basis of apportionment adopted. 
It must be remembered that the cost of maintaining schools does 
not depend upon the number of children of school age, but upon the 
school attendance, the length of term, and the number and kind of 
teachers employed. To change the method of apportionment will 
require a constitutional amendment. 

As all schools in the State are for the benefit of the State as a 
whole and not merely for the local communities, it should be realized 
more definitely that education is the function of the State, and that 
the State should assume a larger share of the burden of its support. 
To do this it will be necessary to add materially to the present State 
school fund either by appropriation or special tax levy. The annual 
fund available should be from 30 to 40 per cent of the total needed 
to maintain all public schools in the State. It should be apportioned 
to the counties in two amounts: 

(1) To each county an amount equal to approximately $200 for 
every regular teacher employed for the full minimum term in public 
elementary and secondary schools; 

(2) Whatever remains should be apportioned to the counties on 
the basis of aggregate attendance. 

The State department of education should be supported by biennial 
appropriations as other State departments are supported. The ap- 
propriation should be a lump sum, the State board determining the 
number of positions to be maintained and the salaries. State aid 
for special purposes, such as to encourage vocational education, 
should be paid from special funds and not taken from the general 
school fund. 

The counties should be required to levy a tax which, with the 
money received from the State, will be sufficient to maintain schools 
throughout the counties a minimum of nine months ; this fund should 
be apportioned between independent city districts and the rest of 
the county as a single district on the same basis as the State fund is 

31 



32 EEPOBT ON" THE COLOEADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

apportioned. Local districts should be authorized to raise through 
special levy such additional funds as their desires and financial 
condition warrant. 

(i) SOURCES OF SUPPORT. 

The schools of Colorado derive their support from three sources — - 
the State school fund, the county general school tax, and the special 
school district tax. In addition, there are rentals from forest re- 
serves and certain fines, fees, and forfeitures. The amount received 
from rentals of forest reserves is given later. The amount from 
fines, fees, and forfeitures is relatively small and is not considered in 
this report. 

Revenue from State. — The State school fund consists of (1) in- 
terest on the permanent fund and (2) rentals and leases of State 
school lands. The permanent fund is derived from the sale of the 
school lands, and in 1916 amounted to $3,677,913.70. Practically two- 
thirds of this ($2,397,110.38) is invested in State bonds drawing 3 
per cent and 4 per cent interest, and in State warrants drawing 4 
per cent interest. The remainder is deposited in banks, and draws 
from 2 to 2-J per cent interest. Other States are receiving higher 
rates of interest. 

The total interest on the permanent fund for the school year was : 

1914-15 $103,778.72 

1915-16 134, 708. 75 

The State school lands amount to approximately 3,244,000 acres. 
Their rentals and leases yielded for the school year : 

1914-15 $300, 828. 70 

1915-16 369, 002. 58 

Total school fund — 

1909-10 308, 620. 90 

1914-15 404, 707. 44 

1915-16 503, 711. 33 

The school fund has increased in the past five years 119 per cent ; in 
the same time, however, the school population has increased 103 per 
cent, and the average daily attendance 110 per cent. In other words, 
while the school fund is increasing rapidly, its rate of increase is but 
little greater than the rate of increase in the average daily attendance 
in the public schools. The increase since 1896 is indicated by the 
following, which shows the amount apportioned to the counties for 
each child 6 to 21 years of age (school age) : 

1896-97 $0,611 

1899-1900 .776 

1905-6 1.141 

1909-10 1.450 

1911-12 1.689 

1913-14 2. 100 

1915-16 1.955 



REVENUE AND SUPPORT. 



33 



The State school fund is apportioned semiannually by the State 
superintendent (in July and January) to the 63 counties, on the basis, 
as already stated, of the total number of children 6 to 21 years of age. 
It is reapportioned almost immediately to the school districts in the 
counties by the county superintendents on the same basis. The num- 
ber of children for the apportionment is determined by a school 
census made annually in February by the secretary of the school 
board in each district. 

The State treasurer received for the credit of the State school fund 
for the year ending June 30, 1916, $503,711.33. The amount appor- 
tioned during the school year ending on the same date, however, 
included the receipts for the last half of the preceding school year 
(January to June, inclusive, 1915) apportioned in July, 1915, and for 
the first half of the school year 1915-16 (July to December, 1915) 
apportioned in January, 1916. The total apportioned was $446,907.14, 
or $1,955 per school child. The census totals 228,597 children 6 to 
21 years of age. 

The State of Colorado received from the national forest reserve 
fund, from leases of forest reserve lands, and the sale of timber, 
for the school year 1915-16, $63,995. This was distributed to 
42 counties in which the reserves are situated (see Table 11) and is 
used by the counties for schools and roads, the amount for each 
purpose, above a minimum of 5 per cent, being determined by the 
county commissioners. 

Table 11. — National forest reserve fund for schools and roads, 1915-16. 



Counties. 


Amount. 


Counties. 


Amount. 


Archuleta 


$2, 827. 80 

186. 94 
1,323.23 

761.33 

1, 824. 39 

76.99 

391.75 
1,314.98 
2, 085. 39 

767. 71 
3,483.00 

700.51 

161.40 
2,981.20 

184.74 
3,201.49 
4,131.09 
2,870.40 

287. 25 
2, 198. 54 

394. 85 

483.84 


La Plata 


$1,640.25 
711.65 


Boulder 


Larimer 


Chaffee 


Las Animas 


66.76 


Clear Creek 


Mesa 


2,615.66 


Conejos 


Mineral 


3,569.95 


Costilla 


Moffat 


385.03 


Custer 


Montezuma 


1,577.67 


Delta 


Montrose 


1,438.17 


Dolores 


Ouray 


599. 42 


Douglas 


Park 


2,995.59 


Eagle 


Pitkin 


2,677.11 


El Paso 


Pueblo 


86.39 


Fremont 


Pio Blanco 


1,901.70 


Garfield 


Rio Grande 


1,579.73 


Gilpin 


Routt 


3,173.49 


Grand 


Saguache 


2,915.25 


Gunnison 


San Juan 


986. 08 


Hinsdale 


San Miguel 


1,175.94 


Huerfano 


Summit 


880. 00 


Jackson 


Teller 


380. 40 


Jefferson . . 


Total 




Lake 


63,995.06 









Revenue from county. — The county commissioners from each 
county are required by law to levy a general school tax. Until 1913 
the law required that this levy be at least 2 mills on the dollar (and 
not over 5 mills) of the assessed valuation of all taxable property. 

74891°— Bull. 5—17 3 



34 KEPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

This rate has been decreased by indirect action. The legislature in 
1913 passed an act requiring all taxable property to be assessed at 
its true valuation instead of at from one-quarter to one-half its 
valuation, the usual assessments. The law says: 

All statutory rates making provision for fixing the limit of indebtedness are 
hereby decreased in the same proportion as the assessed valuation of the taxing 
districts to which they apply are increased. 

Further provision prohibited the total amount raised by taxation 
for any purpose to be more than 15 per cent greater in 1913 than in 
1912. The greatly increased assessed valuation made necessary, 
therefore, a decreased rate. The general county school levies in 
1914-15 varied from 0.1 to 3.75 mills, with an average of 0.92 mills. 
(See Table 22.) 

The total amount raised by county taxation for school purposes 
for the school year 1914-15 was $1,570,493. Of this amount $807,439 
was raised and retained as a county tax in Denver, leaving as the 
amount raised for the general county school tax in the other 62 
counties $763,054. This is $7,713 less than the general county school 
taxes in the 62 counties in 1911-12, before the law here referred to 
went into effect. 

The county funds are distributed to the school districts on the 
same basis as the State funds; in fact, the State funds, the county 
funds, and the portion of the national forest reserve funds used for 
schools are put together in one fund before apportionment. Districts 
refer to the part each receives as the " General fund by apportion- 
ment." 

Revenue from districts. — Special taxes are levied in the various 
school districts to raise the amount needed to operate the schools 
over and above the amount received from the State and county. 
The local district tax is determined in first and second class districts^ 
by the school boards ; in third-class districts by vote of the qualified 
electors. 

This special school-district tax is the principal source of support 
for the schools. In 1914-15 it amounted to 64 per cent of the total 
raised in both second and third class districts. In the first-class 
districts, omitting Denver, where county and special district taxes 
are on identical properties, the special local school-district taxes 
amounted to 80 per cent of the total. The average for the State, 
Denver included, was 71 per cent. 

Bonds. — For the purpose of erecting and furnishing school build- 
ings, purchasing grounds, or funding floating debts, bonds may be 
issued by any school district, upon majority vote of the qualified 
electors of the district, up to a maximum amount equal to 5 per cent 
of the assessed valuation in first and second class districts and to 
3J per cent in third-class districts. 



REVENUE AND SUPPORT. 
(2) EQUALIZATION OF SCHOOL SUPPORT. 



35 



Colorado's per capita expenditure for public education and the 
proportion of total cost of school maintenance which the State bears 
as compared with other States in the western group may be judged 
by the following tables : 

Table 12. — Per capita expenditures for schools based on number of children 

of school age. 



States. 


1912-13 


1913-14 


COLORADO 




$31.58 
31.37 
36.11 
36.39 
34.26 
42.76 
40.24 
48.99 
49. 28 


$31.02 


Wyoming 




33.13 


Idaho 




33.71 


Oregon. 


34.63 


Utah 


34.68 


Washington 


40.57 


Nevada 


40.72 


Montana 


41.48 


California 


49.58 


_ 





Table 13. — Percentage of total school crpenditure borne bit the State, 1911/.-15. 



Oregon 

COLORADO. 

Idaho 

New Mexico .. 

Arizona 

Utah 



Per cent. 

6 
7 
11 
15 
21 
24 



Washington. 
Wyoming.. . 
California . . . 

Nevada 

Montana — 



Per cent. 
24 
25 

28 

31 
43 



In the various counties of Colorado the percentages of the school 
funds raised from the three sources, State, county, and local, is as 
follows : 

Table 14. — School funds from various sources (191J/-J5). 



Count v. 



Adams 

Alamosa. . . 
Arapahoe . . 
Archuleta.. 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee..^.. 
Cheyenne. . 
Clear Creek 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley . . . 

Custer 

Delta 

Denver 

'Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso... 
Fremont . . 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand , 

Gunnison . 
Hinsdale.. 
Huerfano. . 

Jackson 

Jefferson . . 

Kiowa 

Kit Carson 



State. 


County. 


Local. 


$6, 090 


$13,611 


$66,615 


2,802 


6,750 


34,609 


5,741 


10, 717 


66, 727 


2,829 


2,182 


12, 477 


2,066 


4,678 


10,526 


3,801 


9,195 


37, 098 


18,109 


23,541 


235, 675 


4,565 


5,220 


55, 909 


1,728 


7,815 


36, 964 


2,396 


5,312 


35, 341 


6,518 


6,416 


27, 117 


3,572 


5,471 


19, 478 


3,606 


3,349 


31, 426 


1, 178 


1,303 


8,808 


9,297 


6,110 


103, 360 


104, 513 


807, 439 


738, 807 


363 


907 


3, 734 


1,817 


11, 856 


15,503 


1,882 


3,920 


26,154 


3, 952 


12, 464 


35, 108 


24, 405 


121, 824 


312,655 


10, 443 


14, 073 


134, 433 


6,000 


10, 514 


81, 493 


1,577 


11,100 


27,503 


1,048 


5,107 


14,045 


3,190 


8,779 


36,097 


265 


910 


3,640 


9,522 


8,620 


49,364 


567 


3,180 


4,017 


8,197 


30, 872 


84,832 


2,402 


3,549 


30,588 


4,488 


12,267 


52,747 



Local. 



Per 



cent. 


Per cent. 


7 


16 


6 


15 


7 


13 


16 


12 


12 


27 


8 


18 


7 


8 


7 


8 


4 


17 


6 


12 


16 


16 


13 


19 


9 


9 


10 


12 


8 


5 


6 


49 


7 


18 


6 


41 


6 


12 


8 


24 


5 


27 


7 


9 


6 


11 


4 


27 


5 


25 


7 


18 


5 


19 


14 


13 


7 


41 


6 


25 


6 


10 


6 


18 



Per cent. 
77 
79 
80 
72 
61 
74 
85 
85 
79 
82 
68 
68 
82 
78 
87 
45 
75 
53 
82 
68 
68 
84 
83 
69 
70 
75 
76 
73 
52 
69 
84 
76 



36 REPORT OX THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 14. — School funds from various sources (1914-15) — Continued. 



County. 



Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas. 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Moffat 

Montezuma. 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco.. 
Rio Grande. 

Routt 

Saguache . . . 

San Juan 

San Miguel. 
Sedgwick . . . 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington. 

Weld 

Yuma 



State. 



State. 


Ccunty. 


Local. 


State. 


County. 


Local. 








Per cent. 


Per cent. 


Per c:nt. 


$4, 990 


S30, 104 


S49, 418 


6 


36 


58 


7,482 


15, 285 


71, 135 


8 


16 


76 


16, 368 


37, 957 


142, 700 


8 


19 


73 


15, 437 


18, 892 


96, 775 


12 


14 


72 


4,082 


8,385 


35, 235 


8 


18 


74 


7,440 


1^,660 


88, 626 


7 


14 


79 


12,755 


19,619 


170, 953 


6 


10 


84 


590 


3,451 


8,368 


5 


28 


67 


1,178 


2,910 


12, 388 


7 


18 


75 


3,322 


12,735 


37,395 


6 


24 


70 


7,484 


7,307 


75, 817 


8 


8 


84 


8,039 


24, 002 


79, 161 


7 


21 


72 


11, 493 


17,295 


135,704 


7 


11 


82 


1,743 


5,080 


18,635 


7 


20 


73 


832 


7,201 


15,393 


3 


31 


66 


2,245 


6,466 


17,328 


9 


25 


66 


2,586 


10, 365 


40, 248 


5 


19 


76 


6,749 


10, 477 


96, 086 


6 


9 


85 


31, 746 


55, 933 


383, 982 


6 


11 


83 


1,810 


4,365 


15, 289 


9 


20 


71 


3,854 


9,432 


43,752 


7 


7 


76 


4,442 


10,681 


50,907 


6 


14 


80 


3,303 


8,126 


26, 582 


9 


21 


70 


882 


4,749 


16,620 


4 


21 


75 


2/ j QaO 


9,527 


27,441 


6 


24 


70 


2,050 


3,514 


24, 422 


7 


12 


81 


804 


2,911 


16,385 


4 


14 


82 


7,319 


17,843 


174,084 


4 


9 


87 


6,644 


5,562 


56, 728 


10 


8 


82 


27,597 


42,050 


338, 701 


7 


10 


83 


6,684 


8,947 


63, 924 


9 


11 


80 








7 


22 


17 











State funds are supposed to equalize the burden of education 
among the various counties, some of which have a low valuation 
and a large school population, and even with high taxes have diffi- 
culty in raising enough money to support good schools. Table 15 
shows valuation per school child and the amount received from the 
State on attendance basis and on teacher basis for all the different 
counties. The need of equalization is shown by the fact that while 
Baca has $1,822 of taxable property for every census child, Park has 
$22,671. Pitkin, with $5,615, is the median. The amount now re- 
ceived from the State bears no relation to this per capita valuation 
nor to the number of schools nor the school attendance. If it is 
divided by the number of children in average daily attendance it 
varies from $2.76 per child in Las Animas County to $5.58 in Cos- 
tilla County. If it is divided by the number of teachers employed it 
varies from $27 per teacher in Park to $119 in Conejos County — 
relatively as great a variation as that in property valuation. The 
figures for these statements are given in Tables 14 and 15. They 
show that the distribution of the State funds on the census basis 
does not equalize the burden between the counties due to the unequal 
valuation per school child, nor does it contribute to the counties in 
proportion to what they are doing for the education of the children 
of the State. (Table 15.) The cost of maintaining schools does not 
depend upon the number of children living in the county or district, 
but upon the number who attend school, the number of days school is 



REVENUE AND SUPPORT. 



37 



maintained, and the number of teachers employed. A distribution 
on the census basis takes none of these essentials into consideration. 
This is particularly true where the census includes all children from 
6 to 21 years of age, or 5 years beyond the compulsory age limit, and 
2 years beyond the normal age of graduation from high school. 

Table 15. — Comparison of valuation with amount received from the State, 

19H-15. 



County. 


Valuation 

per school 

child (0-21). 


Amount 
received 
from State 
for every 
child in 
average 
daily at- 
tendance. 


Amount 
received 

from State 
for each 
teacher 

employed. 


1. Baca 


$1, 822 
2, 334 
2,743 
3,123 
3, 216 
3,435 
3,505 
3,516 
3,770 
4,025 
4,049 
4.105 

4, 290 
4,344 
4,415 
4,450 
4,614 
4,632 
4,645 
4,783 

' 4,848 
4,926 
4,972 
5,057 
5,100 
5,135 
5,179 
5,184 
5,272 
5,370 
5,519 
5,615 
5,647 
5,711 
5,760 
5,773 
5,840 

5, 972 
6,001 
6,003 
6,041 
6,048 
6,048 
6,140 
6,204 
6,803 
6, 853 
7,222 
7,291 
7,380 
7,410 
7,653 
7,900 
8,132 
8,841 
9,542 
9,587 

10, 276 
11,028 
.11,147 
14,581 
15, 200 
22,674 




S49 


2. Conejos 


$4. 47 
4.53 
3.91 
5.58 
3.17 
5.31 
6.46 
2.76 
3.02 
3.35 
3.13 
4.11 
4.16 
3.75 
3.51 
3.15 
3.43 
4.24 
3.55 
3.78 
3.67 
3.58 
3.66 
3.29 
3.51 
4.55 
3.51 
3.74 
3.48 
3.76 
3.38 
4.99 
3.22 
3.92 
3.83 
3.36 
4.68 
3.93 
3.65 
3.26 
3.86 
4.41 
3.04 
3.51 
3.34 
3.80 


121 


3. Huerfano 


99 


4. Yuma 


57 


5. Costilla 


119 


6. Delta • 


75 


7. Archuleta 


109 


8. Washington 


40 


9. Las A nimas 


80 


10. Montezuma 


58 


11. Fremont 


72 


12. Montrose 


70 


13. La Plata 


80 


14: Pueblo 


103 


15. Morgan 


68 


16. Larimer 


81 


17. Mesa 


68 


18. Boulder 


82 


19. Custer 


49 


20. Kit Carson 


40 


21. Clear Creek 


68 


22. Gilpin 


53 


23. Teller : 


89 


24. Alamosa 


65 


25. Otero 


77 


26. Lincoln 


43 


27. Crowley 


88 


28. Logan 


52 


29. Jefferson 


72 


30. Chaffee 


69 


31. Elbert 


43 


32. Pitkin 


72 


33. Rio Blanco 


70 


34. Rio Grande 


63 


35. Lake 


89 


36. Weld 


87 


37. Prowers 


66 


38. Bent 


74 


39. Sedgwick 


50 


40. EL Paso 


78 


41. Arapahoe 


71 


42. Phillips 


51 


43. Routt 


59 


44. Mineral 


59 


45. Kiowa 


47 


46. Ouray 


58 


47. Garfield 


71 


48. Hinsdale 


33 


49. Eagle 


3.80 
3.87 
4.22 
3.92 
3.75 
3.57 
4.17 
3.07 
3.51 
4.21 
3.56 
3.48 
4,69 
3.26 
3.61 


43 


50. Saguache 


57 


51. Moffat 


45 


52. Adams 


62 


53. San Miguel 


55 


54. Denver 


109 


55. Dolores 


52 


56. Cheyenne 


30 


57. Gunnison 


57 


58. Grand 


52 


59. Douglas 


37 


60. San Juan 


63 


61. Jackson 


57 


62. Summit 


47 


63. Park 


27 







38 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 16. — State fund received by each county for each child in average daily 

attendance (1914-15). 



Count v. 



1. Las Animas 

2. Montezuma 

3. Mineral 

4. Cheyenne . . 

5. Montrose . . . 

6. Mesa 

7. Delta 

8. Rio Grande 

9. Arapahoe... 

10. Summit 

11. Otero 

12. Ouray 

13. Fremont . . . 

14. Powers 

15. Pitkin 

16. Boulder 

17. Chaffee 

18. San Juan... 

19. Gunnison. . 

20. Kiowa 

21. Larimer 

22. Lincoln 

23. Logan 

24. Kit Carson. 

25. Douglas 

26. Denver 

27. Teller 

28. Park 

29. El Paso 

30. Alamosa 

31. Gilpin 



County. 



Amount. 



32. Jefferson... 

33. Morgan 

34. San Miguel . 

35. Elbert 

36. Clear Creek. 

37. Eagle 

38. Garfield.... 

39. Weld 

40. Phillips 

41. Saguache... 

42. Yuma .. 

43. Adams 

44. Lake 

45. Sedgwick... 

46. La Plata... 

47. Pueblo 

48. Dolores 

49. Grand 

50. Moffat 

51. Custer 

52. Routt 

53. Conejos 

54. Huerfano... 

55. Crowley 

56. Bent 

57. Jackson 

58. Rio Blanco. 

59. Archuleta . . 

60. Costilla 

61. Washington 



$3.74 
3.75 
3.75 
3.76 
3.78 
3.80 
3.80 
3.83 
3. 86 
3.87 
3.91 
3.92 
3.92 
3.93 
4.11 
4.16 
4.17 
4.21 
4.22 
4.24 
4.41 
4.47 
4.53 
4.55 
4.68 
4.69 
4.99 
5.31 
5.58 
6.46 



Baca and Hinsdale Counties omitted as no data of average daily attendance were available for 1914-15. 

Table 17. — State fund received by each county for cacli teacher employed 

(1914-15). 



County. 


Amount. 


County. 


Amount. 


1 . Park 


$27 
30 
33 
37 
40 
40 
43 
43 
43 
45 
47 
47 
49 
49 
50 
51 
52 
52 
52 
53 
55 
57 
57 
57 
57 
58 
58 
59 
59 
62 
63 
65 


33. Rio Grande 


$65 


2. Cheyenne 


34. Prowers 


66 


3. Hinsdale 


35. Clear Creek 


68 


4. Douglas 


36. Mesa 


68 


5. Kit Carson 


37. Morgan 


68 


6. Washington 


38. Chaffee 


69 


7. Eagle 


39. Montrose 


70 


8. Elbert 


40. Rio Blanco . 


70 


9. Lincoln 


41. Arapahoe... 


71 


10. Moffat 


42. Garfield 


71 




43. Fremont 


72 


12. Summit 


44. Jefferson 


72 


13. Baca 


45. Pitkin 


72 




46. Bent 


74 


15. Sedgwick 


47. Delta 


75 


16. Phillips 


48. Otero... . 


77 




49. El Paso 


78 


18. Grand 


50. La Plata 


80 


19. Logan 


51. Las Animas 


80 


20. Gilpin 


52. Larimer 


81 


21. San Miguel 


53. Boulder 


82 


22. Gunnison 


54. Weld. 


87 


23. Jackson 


55. Crowley 


88 


24. Saguache 


56. Lake 


89 


25. Yuma 


57. Teller 


89 


26. Montezuma 


58. Huerfano. 


99 


27. Ouray 


59. Pueblo 


103 


28. Mineral 


60. Archuleta 


109 


29. Routt 


61. Denver. 


109 


30. Adams . , 


62. Costilla. 


119 


31. San Juan 


63. Conejos.. 


121 


32. Alamosa 











REVENUE AND SUPPORT. 



39 



The unfairness of apportionment on the census basis is even more 
marked when distribution within the county among the districts is 
concerned. The variation in taxable property valuation among the 
districts is greater than among the counties. Table 18 shows the 
valuation per school child in two counties selected at random, one 
from those of low valuation and one from those about the average 
valuation for the State. 



Table 18. — Valuation of school districts in two counties per child 6 to 21 years 

of age, 1915. 



Conejos County : 
District 29. 



$617 

34 905 

13 990 

7 1,083 

22 1, 102 

4 1,230 

20 1,234 

8 1,238 

27 1,462 

2 1,663 

30 1,763 

25 1,859 

9 1,921 

14 2,072 

24 2,205 

10 2,218 

11 2,377 

6 2, 504 

12 3,762 

1 5, 075 

16 6, 117 

23 6. 945 

28 7,234 

5 8,993 

32 9, 369 

33 18, 177 

15 26,545 

Table 19 shows the same two counties with the districts arranged 
according to valuation per school child; also, for comparative pur- 
poses, the amount received from the State divided by the number 
of children in average daily attendance and the amount received from 
the State divided by the number of teachers employed. 



Otero County : 
District 11. 
10. 
26. 

4. 

3. 
29. 
18. 

5. 

6. 
15. 
23_ 

9. 
24. 
19. 
14. 

2. 
20. 

8. 

1. 
22. 
28. 
13. 



9, 
9, 
10, 
11, 
11, 
16, 
18, 
21, 



374 
813 
068 
860 
918 
752 
243 
341 
649 
218 
475 
109 
256 
818 
290 
556 
227 
274 
742 
544 
883 
544 



40 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 19. — Comparison of valuation, tcith amount received from State, in two 

counties, 1914-15. 



County and 
district. 



Cone;os County 

29 

34 

13 

7 

22. . 

4 

26 

8 

27 

2 

30 

25 

9 

14 

24 

10 

11 

6 

12 

1 

16 

23 

28 

5 

32 

33 

15 



Valuation 

per school 

child, 

6 to 21 



$617 
905 
990 
1,083 
1,102 
1,228 
1,234 
1,238 
1,462 
1,663 
1,763 
1,859 
1,921 
2,072 
2,205 
2,218 
2,377 
2,504 
3,762 
5,008 
6,117 
6,945 
7,234 
8,993 
9,369 
18, 172 
26, 545 



Amount 
received 

from 
State for 

every 
child in 
average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



89.24 
2.98 
6.03 



,65 
.49 
3.19 
3.09 
3.20 
7.87 
3.25 
4.38 
2.40 
2.86 
3.92 
3.45 
6.02 
2.30 
2.93 
2.72 



Amount 
received 

from 
State for 

every 

teacher 

employed, 



$171 

18 

210 

124 

114 

209 

181 

105 

131 

170 

107 

118 

171 

98 

27 

85 

82 

95 

66 

93 

32 

63 

35 

60 

16 

25 

59 



County and 
district. 



Otero County 

11 

10 

26 

4 

3 

29 

18........ 

5 

6.. 

15 

23 

9 

24 

19 

14........ 

2 

20 

8 

1 

22 

28 

13 



Valuation 

per school 

child 

6 to 21. 



$3, 344 

3,813 

4,068 

4,860 

4,918 

5,752 

6,243 

6,341 

6,649 

7,218 

7,475 

8,109 

8,256 

8,818 

9,290 

9,556 

10, 227 

11,274 

11, 442 

16, 544 

18, 883 

21, 544 



Amount 
received 

from 
State for 

every 
child in 
average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



$3.08 
5.37 
2.40 
2.83 
2.36 
2.42 
6.46 
2.83 
3.01 
3.42 
5.32 
2.91 
2.26 
4.47 
1.13 
3.91 
2.98 
2.25 
3.18 
2.39 
2.25 
3.08 



Amount 
received 

from 

State for 

every 

teacher 

em- 
ployed. 



[68 
81 
67 
97 
51 
81 

116 
71 
73 
56 
60 
77 
45 

116 
13 
86 
67 
39 
57 
36 
20 
64 



Table 20. — Amount received from State school funds by each district for each 
child in average daily attendance, and for each teacher regularly employed, 
1914-15. 



County and district. 


Amount 
received 
per child 
in aver- 
age daily 
attend- 
ance. 


Amount 
received 

per 

teacher 

employed. 


County and district. 


Amount 
received 
per child 

in aver- 
age daily 

attend- 
ance. 


Amount 
received 

per 
teacher 

em- 
ployed. 


Conejos County: 

28 


$1.79 
2.26 
2.30 
2.40 
2.72 
2.86 
2.93 
2.98 
3.09 
3.19 
3.20 
3.25 
3.45 
3.49 
3.58 
3.69 
3.82 
3. 88 
3.92 
4.38 
4.55 
5.57 
5.65 
6.02 
6.03 
7.87 
9.24 


$35 

16 

93 

27 

63 

85 

32 

18 

170 

131 

107 

35 

95 

105 

60. 

59 

114 

209 

82 

98 

124 

25 

181 

66 

210 

118 

171 


Otero County: 

14 


$1.13 
1.77 
2.25 
2.25 
2.26 
2.36 
2.39 
2.40 
2.42 
2.83 
2.83 
2.91 
2.98 
3.01 
3.08 
3.08 
3.18 
3.42 
3.91 
4.47 
5.32 
5.37 
6.46 


$13 


32 


(U.H.S.) 

8 


23 


1 


39 


24 


28 


20 


23 


24 


45 


10 


3 


57 


16 


22 


36 


14 


26.. 


67 


2 


29.. 


81 


27 


4 


97 


30 


5 


71 


9 


9 :. 


77 


6 


20. . 


67 


8 


6.. . . 


73 


5 


11.. 


68 


15 


13 


64 


22 


1.. . 


57 


4: 


15. . 


56 


11 


2 


86 


14 


19.. 


116 


7 


23 


60 


33 


10 


81 


26 


18 .-. 


116 


12 






13 




25 




29 









REVENUE AXD SUPPORT. 



41 



As the county general school tax is apportioned to the districts on 
the same basis as the State fund it does not remedy the inequalities 
shown above. Conejos County in 1915-16 raised by county tax ap- 
proximately 1.7 times the amount received from the State; each 
district therefore received from the county fund approximately 1.7 
times the amount given as having been received from the State in 
Table 20. In Otero County the county general tax in 1915-16 was 
practically twice the amount received from the State. Table 21 
shows the proportion of the support in these two counties which came 
from the three sources, State, county, and local. Two districts in 
Conejos County (2 and 34) levied taxes but collected practically 
nothing during the school j^ear. These schools were maintained with 
the money available from State and county funds and from war- 
rants drawn against the district. Table 22 gives the districts ar- 
ranged in order according to the percentage of their total support 
raised by district taxation. The actual mill levy is given also. 



Table 21. — School funds from the various sources in two counties, 1914-15. 



County and 


Per cent received from — 


County and 
district. 


Per cent received from — 


district. 


State. 


County. 


District. 


State. County. 


District. 


Conejos County: 
1 


15 
36 
28 

5 
10 
13 
31 
57 

9 
15 
16 
31 
14 

7 

9 
15 

4 

4 
28 
26 
17 

2 
21 
13 

4 
20 
37 


25 
62 
48 

9 
17 
22 
52 
27 
10 
25 
27 
63 
24 
12 
16 
25 

7 

7 
48 
47 
29 

3 
35 
22 

7 
34 
63 


60 
2 
24 
87 
73 
65 
17 
16 
81 
60 
57 
16 
62 
81 
75 
60 
89 
89 
25 
27 
54 
95 
44 
65 
89 
46 


Otero County: 

1 


11 
6 
6 
6 
7 
7 
8 
7 

11 
5 
5 
6 
8 

10 

14 
7 
5 
6 
7 
4 
9 
2 


22 
12 
12 
11 
13 
14 
15 
14 
21 
10 

9 
11 
15 
19 
28 
13 

9 
11 
13 

8 
17 

4 


67 


2 


2 


82 


4 


3 


82 


5 


4 


83 


6 


5 


80 


7 


6 


79 


8 


8 


77 


9 


9 


79 


10 


10 


68 


11 . . . 


11 


85 


12 


13 


86 


13 


14 


83 


14 


15 


77 


15 


18 


71 


16 


19 


58 


22 


20 


80 


23 


22 


86 


24 


23 


83 


25 . ... 


24 


80 


26... 


26 


88 


27. . 


28 


74 


28 


29 


94 


29 






30 




32 




33 




34 . . . 











42 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 22. — Per cent of support from district tax and levy in two counties, 

19U-15. 



County and district. 


District 

tax — per 

cent of 

total 

support. 


District 
levy in 
mills. 


County and district. 


District 

tax — per 

cent of 

total 

support. 


District 
levy in 
mills. 


Conejos County: 

34 



2 

16 
17 
24 
25 
27 
44 
46 
54 
57 
57 
60 
60 
60 
62 
65 
65 
73 
75 
81 
81 
87 
89 
89 
89 
95 


15.00 


Otero County: 

19 


58 
67 
68 
71 
74 
77 
77 
79 
79 
80 
80 
80 
82 
82 
83 
83 
83 
85 
85 
86 
86 
88 
94 




2 


1 




13 


.82 


10 


3.5 


8 


18 


2.0 


4 


1.46 
1.00 
1.06 
7.00 
3.00 
3.20 
1.85 
3.11 
3.27 
5.40 
4.20 
3.07 
7.54 
6.37 
4.00 
2.02 
5.40 
.68 
4.00 
4.00 
3.00 
3.00 
4.00 


29 


2.1 


25 


8 


3.0 


26 


15 


1.9 


29 


6 


3.5 


33 


9 


2.7 


27 


5 


2.5 


12 


20 


2.6 


9 


26 


4.7 


1 


2 


2.0 


11 


3 


4.7 


22 


4 


5.0 


14 .- 


14 


1.8 


7 


24 


3.1 


30 


11 


6.5 


6 


23 


2.7 


16 


13 


2.0 


10 


22 


1.8 


15 


28 


2.5 


5 


U. H. S.: 


1.1 


23 






24 




32 




28 









The actual general school levies in all counties for 1914-15 are 
given in Table 23. The table shows a variation from 0.4 mill to 3.75 
mills, with an average of 0.92 mill. The figures are taken from the 
report of the State tax commission. They include the county high 
school taxes in the 19 county high schools, which are as follows: 



Mills. 
Bent 1. 181 

Cheyenne . 666 

Douglas . 910 

Eagle ___ . 740 

Garfield 1. 080 

Gunnison . 800 

Huerfano . 700 

Jackson .700 

Logan 1. 690 

Mineral 1. 750 



Mills. 

Montrose 1. 570 

Otero 1. 100 

Ouray 1. 200 

Phillips 1.300 

Rio Blanco 1 1. 110 

Saguache . 500 

San Miguel 1. 260 

Washington :_ . 750 

Yuma . 720 



REVENUE AKD SUPPORT. 43 

Table 23. — General county school tax (county high school tax included), 1914-15. 



County. 


Tax. 


County. 


Tax. 


1. Mineral 


Mills. 
3.75 
3.00 
2.54 
2.30 
2.21 
2.20 
2.10 
2.07 
2.03 
2.01 
2.00 
2.00 
2.00 
1.86 
1.74 
1.72 
1.66 
1.63 
1.62 
1.50 
1.50 
1.50 
1.42 
1.40 
1.40 
1.34 
1.25 
1.20 
1.20 
1.20 
1.10 
1.00 


33. Clear Creek 


Mills. 
1.00 


2. Gilpin 


34. Costilla 


1 00 


3. Logan 


35. Grand 


1 00 


4. Phillips 


36. Hinsdale 


1 00 


5. Douglas 


37. La Plata 


1.00 


6. Lake 


38. San Juan 


1.00 


7. Ouray 


39. San Miguel 


1 00 


8. Montrose 


40. Teller 


1.00 


9. Bent 


41. Rio Blanco 


.90 


10. Rio Grande 


42. Pueblo 


.85 


11. Baca 


43. Routt 


.85 


12. Denver 


44. Conejos 


.84 


13. Montezuma 


45. Lincoln 


.84 


14. Sedgwick 


46. Park 


.80 


15. El Paso 


47. Fremont 


.70 


16. Otero 


48. Mesa 


.70 


17. Cheyenne 


49. Moffat 


.70 


18. Garfield : 


50. Las Animas 


.68 


19. Yuma 


51 . Arapahoe 


.65 


20. Jefferson 


52. Dolores 


.60 


21. Pitkin 


53. Eagle 


.60 


22. Jackson 


54. Boulder 


.59 


23. Morgan 


55. Prowers 


. 56 


24. Huerfano 


56. Weld 




25. Gunnison 


57. Archuleta 


.50 


26. Adams 


58. Custer 


.50 


27. Washington 


59. Ejowa 


.50 


28. Saguache 


60. Summit 


.50 


29. Elbert 


61. Chaffee 


.45 


30. Kit Carson 


62. Crowley 


.40 


31. Larimer 


63. Delta 


.40 


32. Alamosa 











Average 0.92 mills. 

The variation of the proportion of the total school expenditure 
raised by the county school tax and by the State, shown in Table 13, 
causes necessarily a similar variation in the average local district 
taxation for the counties. These latter, as given by Sargent in his 
report on Colorado's school revenues, 1 are given in Table 21. Being 
county averages, the variation is not as great as the variation among 
districts within the counties. This is shown from the figures in 
Table 21, the variation in one county being from 1 to 15 mills and 
in the other from 1.1 to 6.5 mills. 



1 Published by the Colorado Agricultural College. 



44 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 24. — Average special school tax for each county, 191 4-15. * 





Districts. 


County. 


Districts. 


County. 


Third 
class. 


Second 
class. 


First 
class. 


Third 
class. 


Second 
class. 


First 
class. 


Teller 


Mills. 
6.91 
6.43 
5.55 
5.33 
5.16 
5.1 
5.06 
4.91 
4.86 
4.85 
4.83 
4.73 
4.55 
4.5 
4.42 
4.33 
4.31 
4.28 
4.17 
4.14 
4.11 
4.11 
4.08 
4.02 
4.0 
3.94 
3.88 
3.77 
3.62 
3.61 
3.59 
3.56 
3.55 


Mills. 


Mills. 
1.04 




Mills. 

3.54 

3.53 

3.5 

3.38 

3.38 

3.3 

3.21 

3.17 

3.01 

2.98 

2.9 

2.82 

2.81 

2.75 

2.74 

2.68 

2.66 

2.65 

2.6 

2.52 

2.47 

2.34 

2.31 

2.29 

2.17 

1.71 

1.7 

1.01 


Mills. 
8.5 


Mills. 




7.4 
9.5 








Weld 


6.3 


7.9 




Custer 






Elbert 






Washington 

Montezuma 






Ouray . 


3.0 




8.5 
7.2 

8.7 




Huerfano 


5.9 


8.1 

7.8 


Arapahoe 


5.1 
5.9 


10.6 


Delta 






Moffat. 






7.9 


7.7 


Chaffee 


6.5 
4.8 


8.5 




Bent 




Montrose 


5.7 


5.9 


Summ it . . 






Grand . 






Logan . 




6.3 
8.5 


San Miguel 

Phillips 


3.0 




Prowers . 


4.8 






Larimer . . 


6.0 
5.5 
7.5 
5.0 


5.7 


Morgan 


5.2 


4.8 


Otero 


6.8 




Adams. . 




Pitkin 




8.5 
5.4 
6.2 


Rio Blanco 

Dolores . . 




La Plata 






Pueblo 




Rio Grande 

Gunnison 


7.9 
3.0 




Eagle 






Garfield 


5.2 




Saguache 




Hinsdale . 




Lake . 




5.0 


El Paso 




5.0 

7.4 


Park 






Boulder 


10.0 
6.5 
7.9 
1.9 
7.0 


Douglas 






Crowley 


Jackson . . 






Jefferson 








1.8 


Archuleta 




San Juan. . 




3.5 




Routt 




Average 






Costilla 




3.68 


6.17 


6.88 


Conejos 

















1 From Sargent's "Study of School Revenue in Colorado." 

The county tax, distributed as at present, works to the advantage 
of the first and second class districts and to the disadvantage of the 
third-class districts, where the cost of maintaining schools of an 
equivalent standard is usually greater than in the first and second 
class districts. This is because there are necessarily employed in 
country districts a larger number of teachers in proportion to the 
number of children than in city districts. This is shown in the fol- 
lowing table taken from Sargent. If the county money were dis- 
tributed also on the basis of the number of teachers employed, third- 
class districts would receive from the county funds on the whole an 
amount greater than that contributed by them. 



KEVENUE AOT SUPPORT. 



45 



Table 25. — Apportionment of the general county school fund between first and 
second class districts on the one hand, and third-class districts on the other, 
showing the loss or gain sustained by the third-class districts, 1914-15. 

[Taken from Sargent's "A Study of School Revenue in Colorado." Counties not included have no first or 

second class districts.] 



Counties. 



Adams 

Alamosa 

Arapahoe 

Archuleta 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee 

Clear Creek... 

Crowley 

Delta 

El Paso 

Fremont 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Gunnison 

Huerfano 

Jefferson 

Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas.. 

Logan 

Mesa 

Montezuma... 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco... 
Rio Grande... 

Routt 

San Miguel... 

Teller 

Weld 

Total. . . 



Anticipated revenue from the gen- 
eral county school tax. 



Received 
by first 
and second 
class dis- 
tricts. 



$2, 125 
4,296 
6,311 
1,079 
4,933 

16,571 

406 

3,144 

2,003 

3,822 

91, 350 
9,613 
3,478 
4,892 
4,167 
258 

14, 977 

27,595 
6,435 

23, 844 

11, 195 
5,498 
9,632 
4,025 
3,758 

15,650 

12, 650 
2,344 
6,955 
4,736 

45,839 
2,145 
5,546 
2,015 
5,048 

16,312 
1,591 



386, 238 



Received 
by third- 
class dis- 
tricts. 



$11 
2 
4 
1 

■ 4 
6 

2 
1 
2 
30 
4 
7 
6 
4 

15 
2 
8 
14 
15 
10 



,186 
,454 
,406 
,103 
,262 
,970 

116 
,168 
,346 
,288 
,474 
,460 
,036 
,208 
,612 

604 
,875 
,509 
,850 
,113 
,775 
,162 
,987 
,710 
,549 
,352 
,645 
,736 
,410 
,741 
,094 
,216 
,886 
,666 
,479 
,531 
,614 



237, 593 



Revenue 
produced 
by third- 
class dis- 
tricts. 



$12, 224 

4,583 

6,594 

1,238 

6,382 

10,944 

333 

2,672 

1,626 

2, 723 

39, 333 

6,331 

6,873 

8,640 

6,777 

662 

20,660 

14,779 

8,936 

20, 152 

17, 444 

12, 365 

11, 190 

9,730 

3,784 

9,288 

7,158 

3,686 

6,413 

7,231 

14, 685 

3,249 

6,193 

9,252 

4,398 

3,242 

3,117 



314, 887 



Gain or loss to third- 
class districts. 



Gain. 



$103 



81 



244 



Loss. 



$1,038 

2, 129 

2,188 

135 

2,120 

3,974 

117 

504 

280 

435 

8,859 

1,871 



2,432 

2,165 

58 

4,785 

12, 270 

86 

6,039 

1,669 

2,203 

1,203 

1,020 

235 

936 
2,513 

950 
3,003 
1,490 
4,591 
1,033 
2,307 

586 



1,711 
503 

77,438 



(3) SUMMARY. 

The State school fund furnishes approximately 7 per cent of the 
total amount expended for the support of the public schools in the 
State. It should furnish from 30 to 40 per cent of the amount. 

The counties furnish 22 per cent of the total amount expended 
for the support of schools. They should furnish, together with that 
supplied by the State, practically the entire amount necessary for 
maintenance of schools of minimum standards. 

The need of a State fund to equalize the burden among the counties 
is shown by the variation in taxable valuation per child for the 
different counties. This valuation varies from $1,822 to $22,674. 
The need of a county fund as the principal source of support to 



46 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

equalize the burden among districts is indicated by the variation in 
the district valuations of from $617 per school child to $75,444 per 
school child. 

Distribution on the census basis has no relation to the effort which 
counties or districts are actually making in education. It does not 
encourage school authorities to require school enrollment and at- 
tendance, as the greater the number remaining out of school the 
greater is the amount of State and county money available for those 
who attend. 

The amount now received from the State distributed on a basis 
which recognizes actual effort, namely, attendance and number of 
teachers employed, varies among counties from $2.76 to $6.46 for 
each child in average daily attendance and from $27 to $121 for 
each teacher employed. Among districts in two counties the State 
fund varies from $1.79 to $9.24 in one county and from $1.13 to 
$6.46 in the other per child in average daily attendance; and from 
$35 to $171 in one county and $13 to $116 in the other per teacher 
employed. 

Distribution of State funds should be on the basis of the number 
of teachers employed and the aggregate attendance. Aggregate 
attendance is the total number of days actually attended by all the 
pupils. It depends, therefore, both on the daily attendance and the 
total number of days the school was maintained in the year. In mak- 
ing the distribution the State should pay to each county a fixed 
amount for each teacher employed and apportion the remainder 
of the State fund on the aggregate attendance. The State fund 
in 1915-16 amounted to practically $74 per teacher employed in the 
State. The Wyoming State fund was a little over $200 per teacher 
employed. Arizona raised approximately $325 per teacher. The 
California State fund is distributed on the basis suggested and 
amounts to $250 per teacher. The Colorado State fund should 
be large enough to pay at least $200 per teacher and leave from one- 
fourth to one-third of the total fund to be apportioned on the basis 
of aggregate attendance. This would encourage county school au- 
thorities to secure good attendance and to maintain longer terms. 



Chapter V. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 

The general plan of administration and organization affects di- 
rectly the efficiency of classroom instruction in so far as it governs 
the quality of buildings furnished for school purposes and their 
equipment ; length of term and regularity of attendance ; the placing 
and selecting of teachers, their qualifications, tenure, salary, and 
supervision ; and the course of study and textbooks used. Moreover, 
the consolidated school in the open country is the accepted solution of 
the problem of rural school efficiency, since the organization of the 
one-teacher school for purposes of class instruction and grading is 
not adapted to modern ideals and methods of teaching. The way in 
which the present method of administration of rural schools in- 
fluences these matters will be considered in accordance with this 
classification. 

(i) SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT. 

All children should have an opportunity for education at public 
expense, in a schoolhouse reasonably accessible, and in buildings 
which insure at least convenience, comfort, and healthful conditions. 
Wherever investigations have been made regarding the health of city 
and country children a far higher percentage of physical defective- 
ness is shown among rural than among city children. This fact is 
arousing new interest in everything affecting the health of children, 
and particularly in the school-building problem. The following 
minimum requirements for rural schools are summarized from a 
recent bulletin distributed by the Bureau of Education : 

Country school children should have as sanitary and attractive schools and 
as intelligent and effective health care as school children in the cities. A one- 
teacher country school should contain a small entrance hall, a retiring room, 
a workshop, and a classroom not less than 30 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 12 
feet high. There should be an adequate system of ventilation, and unless a 
furnace or other system of heating is installed, a properly jacketed stove. (No 
un jacketed stove should be tolerated in any school.) The schoolroom should 
receive an abundance of light, from the left side or from the left side and the 
rear. The schoolhouse and surroundings should be kept as clean as a good 
housekeeper keeps her home. Drinking water should be available for every 
pupil at any time of day and should come from a safe source. Every rural 
school should have a sanitary drinking fountain. Individual drinking cups are 
theoretically and in some conditions all right, but practical experience has 

47 



48 EEPOBT OX THE COLOEADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

proved that individual cups used more than once are insanitary and unhygienic. 
Therefore they are not advocated nor approved. Facilities for washing hands 
should be always available. School seats and desks should be hygienic in type 
and adjusted at least twice a year to the needs of growing children. 

Toilets should be sanitary in location, construction, and maintenance. If 
there is no water system, separate toilets should be located at least 50 feet in 
different directions from the schoolhouse, with the entrances screened. 

The bureau's questionnaires brought reports from 1,267 Colorado 
school buildings, of which 76 per cent were one-room rural schools. 
Of the total buildings reported 60 per cent were new. The insanitary 
conditions shown in the table submitted and referred to here can 
therefore not be ascribed to the age of these buildings. The reports 
indicate clearly that lighting, heating, ventilating, water supply, and 
similar considerations necessary to proper sanitation have received 
very little attention from persons responsible for school buildings. 

The conditions as set forth in Table 21 show among other things: 
Eighty-one per cent of the schools report insufficient or cross light- 
ing — some buildings have windows on all four sides; the reports 
from six counties do not include even one school with any provision 
for ventilating other than windows and doors ; few buildings heated 
by jacketed stoves, steam, or furnace; an insignificant number of 
school plants with satisfactory water supply and drinking equip- 
ment; cloakrooms and clean interiors are among the necessaries 
found in fewer than half the total number reporting.- 

Equipment. — The table also shows a serious lack of proper equip- 
ment for purposes of instruction. Blackboards, charts, reference 
and supplementary reading books are the materials most frequently 
missing. In nine counties no supplementary reading material is 
supplied. In addition to the equipment actually used in teaching, 
physical equipment such as shades, pictures, hygienic desks are 
supplied in very few rural schools. 

Playgrounds. — Grounds large enough and otherwise suitable for 
play purposes are not furnished to rural schools except in rare in- 
stances. Even fenced yards are reported in but 30 per cent of the 
buildings included in the summary, and the equipment which dis- 
tinguishes a mere fenced prairie from a real playground is reported 
in but 19 per cent of the replies. 

Toilets. — The kind and condition of toilets furnished for school 
children have both a hygienic and moral significance That those 
providing the facilities furnished in Colorado rural schools ignore 
the seriousness of the wmole matter is apparent from the table. 
Probably the most serious condition reported exists in the 12 per cent 
of the schools which have but one toilet on the school grounds. 

It is apparent from the above summary and from the tables given 
in this report that school children in rural districts are badly housed. 
There are many well-kept, sanitary, and attractive buildings in the 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 49 

State, and many of the poorest possible quality, with examples of 
both varieties often existing in adjoining districts. Colorado's great- 
est need in the matter of rural school buildings seems to be that the 
State or county should adopt some settled and economical policy of 
schoolhouse construction which will provide measures of general 
improvement for present conditions and certain minimum standards 
for the future. One plan would be the employment of a State school 
architect in the State department of education to approve the plans 
of all proposed school buildings. The department should have pre- 
pared and available for distribution illustrations, plans, and specifi- 
cations of standard school buildings. 

Table 2G. — Rural school buildings. 
Number reporting 1, 267 

Tor cent. 

New buildings (since 1900) GO 

One-room schools 76 

Material : 

Brick or stone 18 

Adobe or logs 14 

Frame G8 

Repair : 

Good 51 

Fair 39 

Poor 10 

Heating : 

Ordinary stoves G7 

Jacketed stoves 20 

Furnace or steam 13 

Thermometer in room 23 

Ventilation, windows only 76 

Equipment : 

Insufficient blackboard 25 

Stationary desks 84 

Single desks ' 52 

Supplementary readers 22 

Reasonable general equipment 61 

3hades for windows 81 

Pictures . 41 

Clean interior 35 

Janitor 19 

Cloakroom 48 

Workroom 9 

Library 14 

Assembly room 7 

Water supply : 

Drinking water on grounds 39 

Drinking water kept in uncovered receptacle 27 

Drinking fountain 13 

Individual cups 45 

Provision for washing = 65 

74891°— Bull. 5—17 4 



50 BEPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Playground : Per cent. 

With 1 acre of ground or more fenced 30 

With playground equipment 19 

With shade trees : 30 

With yard irrigated 11 

Privies : 

Outside school building 95 

Inside 5 

Earth 92 

Water 8 

With one only 12 

With two less than 50 feet apart 51 

With two at proper distance 37 

In good repair 51 

In fair repair 31 

In poor repair 18 

Clean and sanitary 68 

Free from markings 86 

(2) SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. 

The legal school age in Colorado is from 6 to 21 years. The real 
school population, however, includes those from 6 to 18 or 19 years 
old when high school facilities are furnished and from 6 to 15 or 16 
years old when they are not. The compulsory school age is 8 to 14 years 
if the child has completed the work of the elementary school at the 
end of this period, but may extend to 16 years if this work is not com- 
pleted earlier. The law exempts children between these ages under 
certain conditions. Permits of exemption are issued by and at the 
discretion of the county and city superintendents. The school boards 
in the various districts are responsible for the census enumeration, 
which includes all children of legal school age residing in the dis- 
tricts on the 10th day of February, and which must be filed with the 
county superintendents on or before the first day of April of each 
year. The law prescribes it as the duty of the county superintendents 
to examine and correct these lists from the various districts and to file 
a certified county enumeration with the State superintendent in 
June of each year. In addition to this census list the law requires 
that the county superintendent file an annual report with the State 
superintendent in September of each year, containing among other 
things the census enumeration (which should be an exact duplicate 
of that filed in June), and attendance data taken from the teachers' 
annual reports. The latter must be filed with the county superin- 
tendent before the teachers can draw their salary for the closing 
month of the school year. In this way the county superintendent has 
a check on the correctness of reports from the secretaries of the 
school boards and the teachers and should therefore assume responsi- 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



51 



bility for the district reports, while the State superintendent is in 
turn responsible for those of the county superintendents. The fol- 
lowing data show the number of districts in the State, the census, 
enrollment, and average daily attendance for each year from 1910 
to 1915. The data for 1915 are taken directly from the county super- 
intendents' reports. Figures for the years 1910 to 1914, inclusive, 
are from the biennial reports of the State superintendents, which in 
turn were made from reports of the county superintendents. 



Table 27. — Number of school districts, census enrollment, and average daily 

attendance for six years. 



School year ending June 30 — 


Number 

of 
districts. 


Census 
6 to 21. 


Total 
number 
enrolled. 


Per cent 
of census 
enrolled. 


Average 
daily 

attend- 
ance. 


Per cent 
of enroll- 
ment in 
average 
attend- 
ance. 


Per cent 
of census 
enumera- 
tion in 
average 
daily 
attend- 
ance. 


1910 


1,690 
1,722 
1,753 
1,757 
1,784 
1,846 


221,964 
223,274 
227, 187 
225,841 
227, 172 
227. 546 


168, 798 
173,229 
177,428 
172, 196 
178, 392 
174, 593 


76 
78 
78 
76 
79 
77 


107, 520 
118, 245 
120, 326 
117, 833 
118, 972 
129, 117 


64 
68 
67 
68 
66 
173 


48 


1911 


53 


1912 


53 


1913 


52 


1914 


52 


1915 


57 







*It is improbable that an actual increase of. 7 per cent occurred from 1914 to 1915. The 1915 average 
daily attendance is undoubtedly too high. 

It is apparent that serious errors exist in the Colorado attendance 
reports, either in the census enumeration or through duplicate enroll- 
ment — possibly both. 1 The percentage of enrollment to census in 
1910 as given in the above table is 76 per cent, while the Federal 
census for 1910 records 68 per cent of the school population enrolled 
in school. The county superintendents' reports for 1914-15, ex- 
cluding Denver, record an enrollment which is 79 per cent of the 
census enumeration. Denver in the same year enrolled but 65 per 
cent of its census. In nearly all States rural school enrollment is 
larger in proportion to the population than cit}^ school enrollment. 
Daily attendance is less. It is improbable, however, that the enroll- 
ment for the rest of the State of Colorado was as much greater than 
that of Denver as these figures indicate, for the attendance law 
within Denver is enforced more strictly than in rural districts; 
its schools are accessible to all the children living in the district and 
its high schools have a large attendance. For the United States as 
a whole, approximately 60 per cent of the children from 6 to 21 
years are enrolled in schools. A census enumeration extending from 
6 to 21 years really includes 20 per cent who are over actual school 
age. Few pupils remain in school after their nineteenth birthday; 
normally the}' complete high school at the age of 18. 

i See Table 28. 



52 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 28. — School census 6 to 21 years of age, as reported by county superin- 
tendents for Feb. 10, 1910, and by Federal census, 1910. 



County. 



Adams 

Arapahoe . . 
Archuleta.. 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulcler 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 
Clear Creek 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Custer 

Delta 

Denver 

Dolores. . .. 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso.... 
Fremont . . . 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison . . 
Hinsdale... 
Huerfano... 

Jackson 

Jefferson... 

Kiowa 

Kit Carson. 
Lake 



County 
superin- 
tendent 
census. 



2 

l', 
I, 

3, 
1, 

4, 
51, 



1, 

12, 
5, 
2, 
1, 



732 
858 
140 
790 
383 
504 
182 
101 
357 
945 
884 
582 
220 
938 
165 
929 
722 
758 
738 
037 
584 
064 
532 
506 
154 
875 
236 
084 
090 
420 
287 



Federal 
census. 



2,565 
2,583 
1,006 

700 
1,423 
8,875 
2,001 
1,000 
1,229 
3,649 
1,848 

579 

4,191 

51, 958 

176 

933 

757 
1,651 
11,198 
5,018 
2,792 
1,076 

422 
1,467 

142 
3,999 

277 
4,414 

785 
2.174 
2,572 



Differ- 
ence. 



167 

275 

134 

90 

- 40 
-371 

181 
101 
128 
296 

36 
3 

29 

- 20 

- 11 

- 4 

- 35 
107 

1,540 

19 

-208 

- 12 
110 

39 

12 

-124 

- 41 
-330 

305 

246 

-285 



County. 



La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas. 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Montezuma . 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco. 
Rio Grande . 

Routt 

Saguache 

San Juan 

San Miguel.. 
Sedgwick. . . 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington 

"Weld 

Yuma 

Total. 



County 
superin- 
tendent. 

census. 



2,933 

7,227 

10,381 

1,854 

2,871 

6,121 

306 

1,439 

3,167 

3,557 

6,228 

820 

305 

1,006 

1,299 

2,793 

15, 060 

746 

2,150 

1, 745 

1,642 

443 

999 

852 

435 

3,592 

1,921 

11,453 

2,879 



222, 630 



Federal 
census. 



3,143 

7,683 

9,657 

1,562 

2,683 

6,535 

313 

1,467 

2,927 

2,819 

6,100 

847 

578 

1,039 

1,323 

2,825 

13,210 

660 

1,935 

1,977 

1,259 

464 

904 

872 

417 

3,440 

1,768 

11,404 

2,669 



215, 940 



Differ- 
ence. 



-210 

-456 
724 
292 
188 

-414 

- 7 

- 28 
240 
738 
128 

- 27 
-273 

- 33 

- 24 

- 32 
1,850 

86 

215 

-232 

383 

- 21 
95 

- 20 
18 

152 

153 

49 

210 



Table 29. — Per cent of census (6 to 21 years) reported by county superintend- 
ents as enrolled in schools 191^-15, per cent of those enrolled attending daily, 
and per cent of census number attending daily. 



County. 



Adams 

Alamosa... 
Arapahoe.. 
Archuleta. . 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 
Clear Creek 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley 

Custer 

Delta 

Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso.... 
Fremont... 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison. . 
Hinsdale... 
Huerfano . . 

Jackson 

Jefferson . . . 

Kiowa 

Kit Carson. 



Per cent 
of census 
enrolled. 



82 

79 
86 
64 
62 

71 
79 
78 
95 
75 
72 
62 
82 
69 
91 
76 
78 
84 
81 
76 
82 
86 
68 
74 
82 
86 
76 
61 
75 
82 
86 



Per cent 
of enroll- 
ment in 
average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



65 
72 
75 
61 



64 

77 
76 
71 
77 
65 
60 
56 
71 
72 
65 
74 
66 
68 
75 
76 
65 
83 
67 
73 



60 
73 
74 
73 
68 



Per cent 
of census 
in average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



45 
61 

59 

67 
58 
47 
37 
46 
49 
65 
49 
58 
55 
55 
57 
62 
56 
56 
50 
60 



46 
44 
55 

(50 
58 



County. 



Lake 

La Plata... 

Larimer 

Las Animas 

Lincoln 

Logan , 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Moffat 

Montezuma. 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ourav 

Park' 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco. 
Rio Grande. 

Routt , 

Saguache 

San Juan 

San Miguel., 
Sedgwick... 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington 

Weld 

Yuma 



Per cent 
of census 
enrolled. 



64 

74 
84 
80 

84 
89 
87 
75 
71 
82 
90 
90 
93 
84 
73 
83 
66 
87 
65 
66 
92 
88 
83 
79 
86 
96 
86 
73 



83 



Per cent 
of enroll- 
ment in 
average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



85 
69 
70 
66 
70 
66 
77 
91 
70 
84 
74 
62 
68 
75 
79 
66 
93 
71 
77 
64 
70 
54 
65 
76 
65 
55 
74 
80 
57 
68 
65 



Per cent 
of census 
in average 
daily at- 
tendance. 



54 
51 
59 
53 
59 
59 
67 
68 
50 
69 
67 
56 
63 
63 
58 
55 
61 
62 
50 
42 
64 
48 
54 
60 
56 
53 
64 
58 
46 
54 
54 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



53 



Table 29 shows the percent of enrollment, based on the census, 
for all the counties in the State but two, which failed to report. In 
two counties superintendents report 95 per cent or more of the 
school population 6 to 21 years of age enrolled; in five other coun- 
ties from 90 per cent to 95 per cent, and in 24 others from 85 per cent 
to 90 per cent. Only 17 counties report a percentage of enrollment 
which corresponds to that of Denver and the United States as a 
whole, namely, below 70 per cent. It is probable that the relation 
of enrollment to census as given is reasonably accurate only in these 
17 counties and perhaps in a few others reporting slightly over 70 
per cent. Little reliance can be placed upon the figures in the super- 
intendents' reports. A comparison of the two certified census re- 
ports of the county superintendents formerly referred to, namely, 
those filed in June (as a basis of apportionment) and those filed in 
September (on the county superintendents' annual reports), which 
should be identical, as only one school census is taken each 3^ear, do 
not agree in the 1914—15 reports from 26 counties. 

Table 30 shows the number of districts, census, enrollment, and 
average daily attendance from all of the counties in the State, also 
the number of children enrolled who are not attending school daily, 
and the number 6 to 21 years of age not attending daily. 



Table 30. — Number of children in census and enrolled not in average daily 

attendance. 



County. 


Number 

of 
districts. 


Census 
total 
6 to 21 
years. 


Total 
enroll- 
ment. 


Average 
daily- 
attend- 
ance. 


Number 
census 

children 
not 

attending 
daily. 


Number 

of 
children 
enrolled 

not 

attending 

daily. 


Adams 


38 
13 
28 
14 
19 
20 
66 
27 
10 
10 
28 
12 
10 
23 
22 

1 

4 
37 
23 
46 
56 
36 
43 
14 
16 
29 

5 
43 

6 
50 
•17 


2,900 

1,334 

2,734 

1,347 

984 

1,810 

8,623 

2,174 

823 

1,093 

3,104 

1,701 

1,717 

561 

4,427 

49, 738 

173 

865 

896 

1,882 

11,669 

4,973 

2,S57 

751 

499 

1,519 

126 

4, 534 

■ 270 

3,903 

. 1,144 


2,388 

1,060 

2,358 

871 

609 

1,297 

6,795 

1,708 

784 

820 

2, 236 

1, 058 

1,417 

391 

4,047 

32, 746 

132 

679 

751 

1,530 

8, 866 

4,106 

2, 441 

515 

369 

1,248 

108 

3,460 

164 

2,938 

937 


1,553 

- 766 

1,772 

533 


1,347 

568 
952 
814 


835 




294 


Arapahoe 


586 


Archv'eta 


338 


Baca... 




Bent 


834 

5,283 

1,312 

562 

634 

1,455 

640 

793 

278 

2,937 

29, 226 

87 

507 

496 

1,050 

6,681 

3,116 

1,586 

430 

249 

910 


976 

3,340 

862 

261 

359 

1,049 

1,061 

924 

283 

1,490 

20,512 

86 

358 

400 

832 

4,988 

1,857 

1,271 

321 

250 

609 


364 


Boulder 


1,512 


Chaffee 


396 


Cheyenne 


222 


Clear Creek 


486 


Concios 

Costilla. 


781 
418 


Crowlev 


624 


Custer ". 


113 


Delta 


1,110 


Denver 


3,520 


T) olores 


45 


E asle 


172 
255 


E lbert 


480 


El Paso 


2,185 


Fremont 


990 


Garfield 


855 


Gilpin 


85 


Grand 


120 


G unnison 


338 


Hinsdale 




Huerfano 


2,103 
121 

2,190 
684 


2,433 
149 

1,813 
460 


1,357 


Jackson 


43 


Jefferson 


748 


Kiowa 


253 



54 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 30. — Number of children in census and enrolled not in average daily 

attendance — Continued. 



County. 



Number 

of 
districts. 



Census 
total 
6 to 21 

years. 



Tstal 
enroll- 
ment. 



Average 

daily 

attend- 



Number 
census 

children 
not 

attending 
daily. 



Number 

of 
children 
enrolled 

not 

attending 

daily. 



Kit Carson.. 

Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Moffat . . 

Montezuma . 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco. 
Rio Grande. 

Routt 

Saguache 

San Juan . . . 
San Miguel. 
Sedgwick . . . 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington 

Weld 

Yuma 

Total. 



56 

9 

34 
51 
81 
27 
57 
38 

6 
15 
22 
28 
17 
23 
14 
20 
34 
15 
45 
49 
12 
27 
34 
32 

1 

11 
25 

9 

14 

63 

114 

93 



2,137 

2,376 

3,563 

7,794 

10, 494 

1,944 

3,543 

6,074 

281 

561 

1,582 

3,564 

3,828 

5,473 

830 

397 

1,069 

1,231 

3, 214 

15,117 

862 

1,835 

2,115 

1,573 

420 

1,206 

976 

383 

3,485 

2,164 

13,141 

3,183 



1,853 

1,501 

2,633 

6,593 

8,436 

1,650 

3,175 

5,254 

212 

399 

1,303 

3,207 

3,463 

5,103 

698 

290 

884 

815 

2,812 

9,849 

567 

1,706 

1,871 

1,306 

332 

1,037 

941 

330 

2,559 

1,801 

10, 528 

2,656 



1,262 

1,273 

1,819 

4,662 

5,590 

1,160 

2,094 

4,052 

194 

279 

1,099 

2,385 

2,143 

3,492 

522 

230 

582 

763 

2,004 

7,630 

363 

1,195 

1,007 

854 

254 

675 

522 

246 

2,041 

1,029 

7,199 

1,710 



1,847 



227,546 



174,593 



129,117 



865 

1,103 

1,744 

3,132 

4,904 

784 

1,449 

2,022 

87 

282 

483 

1,179 

1,685 

1,981 

308 

167 

487 

468 

1,210 

7,487 

499 

640 

1,108 

719 

166 

531 

454 

137 

1,444 

1,135 

5,942 

1,473 



591 

228 

814 

1,931 

2,846 

490 

1,081 

1,202 

18 

120 

204 

822 

1,320 

1,611 

176 

60 

302 

52 

808 

2,219 

2 4 

5 1 

8 4 

453 

78 

302 

419 

84 

518 

772 

3,329 

946 



98, 429 



45, 476 



Table 31 shows census and enrollment data for children between 
8 and 14 years, as given in the county superintendents' reports to the 
State superintendent for the year 1914-15. In 28 of these counties 
the number enrolled exceeds the total census enumeration from 1 
per cent to 25 per cent. In one county the number enrolled is equal 
to the census. The apparent purpose of this data (8 to 14 years) 
is to show the number of children who are not reached by the com- 
pulsory attendance law. If correct data were available the enroll- 
ment of children between the ages of 8 and 14 years subtracted from 
the census enumeration 8 to 14 would show the number of children 
who should be in school and are not, although within the age period 
when attendance is compulsory and when the enforcement of the 
law is most apt to be needed. The given data are useless for this 
purpose in 29 counties of the State because of the condition stated. 
In the other 33 counties 4,845 children, or 12 per cent of the census 
enumeration between 8 and 14, are reported not enrolled in school. 

Because of the obvious errors, some of which have been referred to, 
the summaries given in this study are not those in the county super- 
intendents' reports, but are made from original data given in the 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



55 



reports; hence the total percentages, per capita costs, etc., are cor- 
rect on the basis of the census enrollment, total costs, etc., as given by 
the county superintendents. This assumes that while many county 
superintendents do not make correct financial summaries or compute 
accurate averages and per capita expenses, etc., they do report with 
reasonable correctness the census filed with the State superintend- 
ent as the basis for apportionment of the State school funds and 
such expenditures and other financial data as can be obtained from 
the county treasurers' offices. This assumption, as pointed out above, 
is not in all cases justified, but the statistics taken are as nearly cor- 
rect as it is possible to obtain under existing conditions. It is prac- 
tically inevitable that often the census figures are taken carelessly 
by district clerks or their hired enumerators, and while it is the duty 
of the county superintendent to examine carefully these census lists 
and to eliminate errors, it is apparent they do not in many cases. It 
is possible that in unusual instances the attendance at school may 
be equal to or greater than the census enumeration, even though data 
are carefully and correctly given, because of changes in population 
through the moving of families from one district to another; but 
it is practically impossible that this should happen in 28 counties and 
that there should be enrolled 3,000 more children between 8 and 14 
years than the census records. One county superintendent confesses 
to his own lack of inclination to criticize census enumerations as 
reported by district secretaries so long as he himself holds his posi- 
tion by popular vote. 

Table 31. — Children of compulsory age not attending school. 



County 



Adams 

Alamosa . . . 
Arapahoe . . 
Archuleta.. 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 
Clear Creek 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley 

Custer.". 

Delta 

Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso.... 
Fremont . . . 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison . . 
Hinsdale.. . 
Huerfano. . . 



Census 
8-14 years. 



1, 399 

799 

1,354 

731 

467 

1,079 

3, 779 

997 

375 

513 

1,690 

767 

886 

294 

2,327 

73 

421 

475 

1,398 

4,609 

2,183 

1,492 

292 

221 

762 

60 

2.437 



Total re- 
ported en- 
rolled in 
school 
8-14 years. 



1,441 
631 

1,694 
547 



803 

3,740 

1,148 

416 

472 

1,388 

591 

795 

294 

2, 323 

90 

480 

544 

917 

4,955 

2. 356 

i;377 

302 

233 

734 

50 

2,341 



Reported 
enrolled 

more than 
census. 



42 
3-40 



151 
41 



17 
59 
31 



346 
173 



10 

12 



Number 

reported 

not in 

school 

8-14 years. 



168 

'isi 



276 
39 



41 
302 
176 

91 



481 

'iib 



28 
10 
96 



56 KEPOET ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 31. — Children of compulsory age not attending school — Continued. 



County. 



Jackson 

Jefferson 

Kiowa , 

Kit Carson. 

Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas, 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa , 

Mineral 

Moffat 

Montezuma. 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco.. 
Rio Grande. 

Routt 

Saguache 

San Juan.... 
San Miguel.. 
Sedgwick... 

Summit 

Teller.. 

Washington 

Weld 

Yuma 

Total. 



Census 
8-14 years. 



95 

1,709 

554 

1,032 

1,088 

1.700 

3,607 

5,198 

986 

1,783 

2,793 

129 

326 

834 

1,729 

1,739 

2,560 

372 

204 

484 

547 

1,496 

6,991 

464 

937 

988 

871 

183 

567 

530 

172 

1,479 

1,143 

6,458 

1,547 



85, 155 



Total re- 
ported en- 
rolled in 
school 
8-14 years. 



106 

1,761 

556 

1,066 

790 

1,435 

3,754 

5,033 

958 

1,850 

2,889 

125 

278 

740 

2,075 

1,567 

3,002 

410 

198 

572 

477 

1,628 

5,695 

376 

978 

1,014 

811 

173 

559 

554 

206 

1,448 

1,040 

6,700 

1,473 



83, 208 



Reported 
enrolled 

more than 
census. 



11 

52 

2 

34 



54 



67 
116 



346 



442 
38 



132 



242 



2,971 



Number. 

reported 
not in 
school 

S- -14 years. 



298 
265 



165 
28 



4 

48 
94 



172 



1,296 
88 



60 
10 



31 
103 



74 



4,845 



Length of school term. — It is apparent that the effectiveness with 
which a school serves the community depends on the length of term 
quite as much as on the regularity of attendance, and that the aver- 
age daily attendance, which may be raised by a few regular attend- 
ants, is not so important a consideration as the number of days 
attended by all the children enrolled. Table 32 shows that the 
number of days school was in session in the various counties during 
the school year 1914-15 varied in graded schools from a minimum of 
101 days to a maximum of 180, with an average for the State of 174 
days, or nearly 9 months in graded schools. In rural schools the 
minimum length of term falls below 100 days in 22 counties; 1 
county reported 1 school conducted 18 days or less than 1 
month; 1 county reported a school conducted 35 days; 6 counties 
reported schools conducted 40 days or 2 months ; 5 counties reported 
schools with terms of 3 months; and 9 additional counties re- 
ported schools with more than 3 but less than 5 months of school. 
Since county superintendents report averages on districts only, it is 
not possible to state accurately how many schools have these short 
terms. A study of the 52 county superintendents' reports for 



ADMINISTRATION" OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



57 



1915-16 received by the State superintendent's office up to November 
1. 1916, shows (see Table 45) : 

Districts that maintained an average term of — 

Less than 100 days 37 

From 100 to 110 days 13 

From 110 to 120 days 12 

From 120 to 140 days 212 

Less than 140 days ._ 284 

The average for rural schools, as given in the county superintend- 
ents' reports, is 148 days, or about 7 months. Included as rural in 
the table are all schools listed as " rural " by the county superintend- 
ents in their reports to the State superintendent. It should be ex- 
plained, however, that the State department, while requiring county 
superintendents to report on " rural " and " graded " schools sepa- 
rately, does not define the terms. Each county superintendent makes 
his own interpretation. In some cases the county superintendent 
lists as " graded " all one-teacher schools in which a distinction 
exists corresponding to that in regular city graded schools. In 
other cases the county superintendent lists all one-teacher schools 
as " rural." 

Table 32. — Whole number of days seliool was taught, 1914-15. 





Rural. 


Graded. 


County. 


Maxi- 
mum. 


Mini- 
mum. 


Aver- 
age. 


Maxi- 
mum. 


Mini- 
mum. 


Aver- 
age. 


Adams 


190 
180 
180 
194 


120 

100 

140 

80 


177 
149 
169 
137 


190 
170 
200 
180 


180 
170 
180 
176 


183 


Aamosa 


170 


Arapahoe 


189 


Archuleta 


178 






Bent 


180 
180 
180 
170 
180 
180 
. 180 
180 
180 
180 


120 

74 

90 

140 

60 

100 

100 

140 

80 

40 


159 
166 
158 
159 
140 
138 
144 
169 
120 
145 


180 
180 
180 
180 
200 
180 
180 
180 


180 
171 

178 
180 
180 
120 
180 
ISO 


180 


Boulder 


175 


Chaffee". 


179 


Cheyenne 


180 


Clear Creek 


184 


Conejos 


159 


Costilla 


180 


Crowley 


180 


Custer 




Delta 


180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
190 
180 
180 
190 


156 
140 
172 
101 
180 
174 
180 
180 
180 


169 


Dolores 


159 


Douglas 


180 
180 
180 
180 
220 
200 
179 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
185 
240 
180 
180 


78 
106 

98 
120 
120 
120 

83 
120 
120 

18 

60 
116 

40 

40 
120 
145 

80 
116 

65 


146 
147 
140 
154 
163 
165 
130 
161 
, 148 
59 
131 
141 
119 
138 
140 
167 
120 
155 
118 


174 


Eagle 


164 


Elbert 3 


180 


El Paso 


178 


Fremont 


180 


Garfield 


180 


Gilpin 


188 


Grand 




Gmrnisnn ... 


iso 

170 
190 
180 
180 
160 
180 
185 
180 
180 
190 


168 
170 
160 
180 
170 
160 
160 
185 
160 
180 
176 


178 


Hinsdale 


170 


Huerfano 


178 


Jackson 


180 


Jefferson 


179 


Kiowa 


160 


Kit Carson 


174 


Lake 


185 


La Plata 


170 


Larimer 


180 




180 



58 REPORT 0£T THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 32. — Whole number of days school was taught, lDUj-15 — Continued. 





Rural. 




Graded. 




County. 


Maxi- 
mum. 


Mini- 
mum. 


Aver- 
age. 


Maxi- 
mum. 


Mini- 
mum. 


Aver- 
age. 


Lincoln 


160 

180 
160 
180 
190 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 


120 
110 
120 
112 

35 
120 

40 
150 
120 
120 


132 
157 
152 
156 
147 
149 
147 
168 
155 
166 


180 

190 
190 
180 
176 
180 
180 
180 
. 180 
180 


180 
175 
160 
180 
154 
180 
160 
160 
143 
171 


180 


Logan 


184 


Mesa 


176 


Mineral 


180 


Moffat 


165 


Montezuma 


180 


Montrose 


175 


Morgan 


170 


Otero 


169 


Ourav 


177 


Park* 




Phillips 


180 
200 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
190 
180 
184 
200 
160 
180 
180 
180 
180 


120 
120 
120 
120 
100 
120 

40 

60 
180 

40 
120 
120 

60 
115 
120 
120 


159 
173 
145 
163 
134 
159 


180 
180 
180 
190 
180 
190 
180 
180 
180 
181 


180 
180 
160 
180 
180 
180 
164 
180 
180 
180 


180 


Pitkin 


180 


Prowers 


172 


Pueblo 


186 


Rio Bl anco 


180 


Rio Grande 


185 


Routt 


174 


Saguache 


139 
180 
153 
169 
140 
147 


ISO 


San Juan 


180 


San Miguel 


ISO 


Sedgrick 




Summit 


180 
180 
178 
180 
180 


180 
180 
178 
167 
180 


180 


Teller 


180 


"Washington 


178 


Weld 


173 
138 


179 


Yuma 


180 







The actual number of days attended by all pupils enrolled is a 
fairer standard of the work of the school than the total enrollment 
or average daily attendance. An efficient school interests the children 
and retains all of those who should be there throughout the full term. 
Data on this point are not given in the reports of the county super- 
intendents. The figure is, however, computed in Table 33 as correctly 
as possible from the available data on average daily attendance, en- 
rollment, and length of term in the superintendents' reports. A com- 
parison of the average length of term and the average number of 
days attended shows that many children fail to take advantage of 
even the meager number of school months offered. For instance, the 
average number of days schools was taught in Huerfano County is 
131, but the children enrolled attended school only 79 of the 131 days. 
Archuleta offers an average of 137 days of school, but children en- 
rolled attend on an average only 81 days; and so on throughout the 
list of counties. For the State as a whole the average number of days 
attended by the children in rural schools is 106, or practically five 
school months. In considering these figures it is well to keep in mind 
not only the unfortunate conditions which deprive children of more 
than five months of school, but the fact that education is usually far 
more expensive in schools in which the attendance is poor than in 
those in which the children enrolled come to school regularly, although 
economy is the usual argument given for short terms. The amount 
of money necessary to provide for the support of schools is usually 



ADMINISTRATION" OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



59 



i 



estimated on probable enrollment. Children who come to school must 
be taken care of whether they attend regularly or not (see Table 34). 
Poor attendance means that the community loses because it fails to 
get value received in actual service for the money expended and the 
State loses because it fails to educate all of its children. 



Table 33. — Average number of days attended by each child enrolled, 1914-15. 



County. 



Las Animas 

Huerfano 

La Plata 

Archuleta 

Custer 

Rio Blanco 

Costilla 

Crowley 

Jefferson 

Yuma 

Conejos 

Saguache 

Lincoln 

Sedgwick 

Kit Carson 

Elbert 

Eagle 

Washington 

San Miguel 

Kiowa 

Bent 

Logan 

Moffat 

Prowers 

Jackson 

Morgan 

Phillips 

Summit 

Delta 

Otero 

Garfield 

Alamosa 

Clear Creek 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison 

Douglas 

Larimer 

Montrose 

Rio Grande 

Cheyenne 

Adams 

El Paso 

Mesa 

Teller 

Weld 

Chaffee 

Fremont 

Ouray 

Montezuma 

Arapahoe 

Pueblo 

Boulder 

Lake 

San Juan 

Mineral 

Pitkin 

Dolores 

Hinsdale 

Routt 

Park (no data) . 



Rural. 



Average 
number 
of days 
attended 
by each 

child 
enrolled. 



79 
83 
84 
85 
87 
87 



91 
93 
94 
95 
96 
97 
97 
100 
101 
102 
103 
103 
103 
104 
104 
104 
104 
105 
106 
107 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
109 
109 
110 
112 
114 
115 
116 
117 
118 
118 
121 
124 
124 
126 
127 
127 
129 
137 
137 
143 
162 



Average 
length 
of term 
in da vs. 



118 
131 
120 
137 
120 
134 
144 
169 
119 
138 
138 
139 
132 
169 
140 
140 
147 
170 
153 
138 
159 
157 
147 
145 
141 
168 
159 
140 
145 
155 
165 
149 
140 
130 
161 
148 
146 
155 
147 
159 
159 
177 
154 
152 
147 
173 
158 
163 
166 
149 
169 
163 
166 
167 
180 
156 
173 

"59' 



Graded. 



Average 
number 
of days 
attended 
by each 

child 
enrolled. 



118 
108 
117 
109 

iis 

109 
101 

134 
116 
103 
117 
126 

118 
123 
108 
102 
118 
116 
116 
121 
115 
123 
133 
105 
118 
134 
122 
116 
117 
123 
142 
157 

*129 
129 
127 
131 
129 
129 
119 
134 
136 
143 
122 
137 
136 
132 
152 
142 
144 
136 
157 
137 
165 
168 
105 

"93" 



Average 
length 
of term 
in days. 



180 
178 
170 
178 

180 
180 
180 
179 
180 
159 
180 
ISO 

"i74 
180 
164 
178 
180 
160 
180 
184 
155 
172 
180 
170 
180 
180 
169 
169 
180 
170 
184 
188 

"178 
174 
180 
175 
185 
180 
183 
178 
176 
180 
179 
179 
180 
177 
180 
189 
186 
175 
185 
180 
180 
180 
159 
170 
174 



60 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 34. — Average cost per pupil, 1914-15. 



County. 



Adams 

Alamosa 

Arapahoe... 
Archuleta.. 

Baca 

Bent 

Boulder 

Chaffee..:.. 
Cheyenne.. 
Clear Creek. 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley 

Custer 

Delta 

Dolores . 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso 

Fremont.. . 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison.. 
Hinsdale... 
Huerfano... 

Jackson 

Jefferson 

Kiowa 

Kit Carson. 





Cost 


Cost 


based on 


based on 


average 


enroll- 


daily 


ment. 


attend- 




ance. 


$30. 71 


i $53. 67 


50.63 


70.07 


38.06 


50.65 


23.93 


39.09 


28.30 


i 118. 06 


32.98 


51.30 


39.81 


51.20 


37.38 


48.66 


59.48 


82.97 


40.56 


i 52. 46 


24.96 


38.36 


21.39 


35. 36 


38.59 


68.96 


27.03 


37.99 


31. 55 


43.48 


52.10 


79.05 


57.23 


77.43 


53.53 


81.05 


30.47 


44.40 


52.82 


70.10 


41.14 


54.21 


37.32 


i 57. 45 


70.28 


84.17 


38.36 


56.84 


44.25 


60.70 


55.78 




30.48 


50.14 


53.42 


72.39 


34.46 


46.20 


41.58 


i 56. 96 


35.49 


52.11 



County. 



Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas. 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa , 

Mineral 

Moffat , 

Montezuma. 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco.. 
Bio Grande. 

Routt 

Saguache 

San Juan 

San Miguel. . 

Sedgwick 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington . 

Weld 

Yuma 



Cost 
based on 
enroll- 
ment. 



44.78 
34.87 
33.01 
26.73 
43.43 
43.15 
42.68 
55.09 
40.42 
37.46 
37.28 
40.54 
34.05 
42.08 
63.43 
40.14 
44.47 
48.93 
57.43 
53.64 
29.39 
33.65 
35.93 
77.31 
50.45 
30.91 
72.44 
47.01 
25.12 
43.27 
25.12 



Cost 

based on 

average 

daily 

attend- 



52.81 
50.53 
46.67 
40.34 
61.78 
65.43 

155.34 
60.21 
57.80 
44.42 
50.13 

165.52 
49.76 
56.27 
79.97 
61.15 
47.44 
68.66 
71.50 
83.79 
41.97 
62.53 
54.95 

101. 06 
77.21 
55.73 
97.17 
58.94 
43.97 
63.28 
39.02 



i Data on this item given in reports from these counties are so incomplete that absolute accuracy is not 
possible. 

f : Compulsory-attendance law. — The very great difference above re- 
ferred to and shown in Table 33 between the number of days school 
is taught and the actual attendance can be adequately explained only 
by assuming laxity in the enforcement of the attendance law. Ex- 
cluding children who are ill and families in which there is illness, 
all or nearly all of those enrolled should be in attendance the full 
number of days school is maintained in the district. The Colorado 
law requires all children of compulsory school age to attend the 
full time school is taught in the district, and the means of enforcing 
this law are apparently adequate in districts of the first class and 
those of the second class with sufficient funds to engage truant and 
attendance officers. However, outside of these districts it is evident 
that the law is not enforced. Third-class districts can scarcely afford 
to spend the money to retain a truant officer, except very irregularly. 
A large percentage of the school directors in third-class districts 
are reported by the teachers as lax in the purchase of books and the 
care of school buildings, and these directors can scarcely be expected 
to encounter the danger of having trouble with their neighbors in an 
effort to force their children to attend school regularly. Experience 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 61 

in this and other States indicates that when the authority is too 
localized the law is not apt to be enforced. 

A special questionnaire was sent to county superintendents re- 
questing information regarding the enforcement of the compulsory- 
attendance law. Of 38 who replied to this inquiry, 20 (over 50 per 
cent) reported no enforcement or only partial enforcement of the 
law outside of first-class districts. Very many letters were received 
from teachers and others from all parts of the State, even from 
counties in which the enrollment was reported greater than the cen- 
sus, stating that the compulsory attendance law is not enforced. It 
is probable, therefore, that while there are 4,845 children between 
the ages of 8 and 14 years in 33 counties reported definitely b^y 
county superintendents on their official reports as not in school, 
the actual number for these counties and for the whole State is 
much larger. 

The compulsory-attendance law should specify the amount of ab- 
sence necessary before enforcement proceedings are begun. It should 
be so specific that enrollment can not be confused with regular at- 
tendance. The enforcement should be in the hands of county truant 
officers instead of local district officers, and teachers should be re- 
quired to notify the county superintendent of all unexplained con- 
tinued absences. 

High-school attendance. — There are three classes of high-schools 
in Colorado: County high schools, supported by the county by a 
special tax; union high schools, supported by school districts which 
unite for the purpose, assessed by special tax on the union territory or 
by prorating the expenses of the high school among the districts 
uniting; and district high schools, legal in first and second-class 
districts only, supported by special tax on the district. (Union 
high schools receive their quota of the regular apportionment funds 
from the State and county.) Mairy districts, even third-class dis- 
tricts, which can not afford a full four-year high school, offer one 
or two years of work above the eighth grade.. 

The data concerning high schools given in county superintendents' 
reports contain the same kind of errors pointed out previously for 
elementary attendance. For this reason the figures quoted here are 
from a survey of high schools in the State made by the University of 
Colorado in October, 1914. The county superintendents for 1914-15 
report the total number of high schools as 138, or 65 fewer than the 
university survey. 



62 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



County high schools >. 20 

Union high schools 26 

District high schools 201 

Total number of high schools 247 

Accredited high schools (by State university) 70 

Four-year high schools not accredited 60 

One, 2 or 3-year high schools 117 

Total enrollment 16, 487 

The university bulletin also includes interesting data regarding 
the accessibility of high school facilities. Circles were inscribed 
about 4-year high schools with radii of 10 miles, 25 miles, and 50 
miles. The table shows (1) the number of counties which lie wholly 
within the circles (column 1) ; (2) the approximate number of square 
miles included by them (column 2) ; and (3) the number of post 
offices included within them (column 3). Columns X and Y show in 
percentages the same data as 2 and 3, respectively. 

Table 35. — Per cent of area of State more than 10, 25, and 50 miles from 

high schools. 



Miles from accredited school 

10 or less , 

25 or less 

50 or less 

Miles from 4-year school: 

10 or less.. 

25 or less 

50 or less 



Entire 
counties. 



2 
Approxi- 
mate num- 
ber of 
square 
miles. 



1 
11 

46 

1 

16 



15, 535 

61,845 



26,910 
79. 535 
99, 710 



X 


3 


Percentage 


Number 


of area of 


of post 


State. 


offices. 


14.9 


262 


59.5 


612 


86.8 


802 


25.9 


388 


76.5 


756 


96 


855 



Y 

Percentage 
of all post 
offices of 
the State. 



30.2 
70.6 
92.5 

44.8 

87.2 
98.8 



It is sufficiently serious that less than one-sixth of the area of the 
State is within 10 miles of an accredited high school and a trifle 
more than one-half within 25 miles. However, air- line distances 
give no conception of the real difficulties which children would have 
to overcome to reach high schools. Cross-country journeys are often 
impossible. So serious is the distance problem that a number of 
third-class districts maintain high schools offering one to four year 
courses in spite of the illegality of such action. 

The most significant data obtained from county superintendents' 
reports in regard to high schools are those showing the variation of 
high-school attendance in the different counties. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 63 

Table 36. — Higli-scliool enrollment. 



County. 


Total 
number 

of high 
schools. 


Total high- 
school en- 
rollment. 


Percentage 
high-school 
enrollment 
bears to 
total en- 
rollment. 


Adams 


2 
1 
2 
1 


117 

78 

208 

44 


7 25 


Alamosa 


7 5 


Arapahoe 


8 75 




5 






Bent 


2 

4 
2 
1 

2 


135 

1,140 

219 

57 

127 

87 
38 
96 


10 5 


Boulder 


16. 75 


Chaffee 


12. 75 


Chevenne 


7 25 










Costilla 




3.5 




2 


6 75 


Custer 




Delta 


10 


616 


15 25 








1 
1 
3 
5 
3 
5 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
3 


73 

21 

97 

1,407 

458 

292 

66 

12 

109 

13 

85 

21 

290 

20 

115 

253 

324 

682 

397 

109 

326 

696 

30 

47 

80 

347 

335 

610 

64 

28 

77 

128 

195 

1,112 

53 

218 

118 

57 

57 

95 

84 

38 

369 

40 

725 

137 


10 75 




2 75 


Elbert 


6.25 


El Paso 


15 75 




11 


Garfield 


11 875 




12.75 




3 25 




8.75 




12 




2.5 




13 




9. 75 




2.125 




5 
1 

1 
5 
2 
6 
4 
8 
1 
1 
3 
1 
2 
4 
1 
3 
1 
1 
4 
2 
1 
2 
4 
2 
1 
2 
1 
1 
2 
1 
7 
1 


6.25 




16. 75 




12.25 




10.25 








6.5 




10.25 




13.25 




14. 125 




12 




6.125 




10.75 




9. 75 




11. 875 




9.125 


Park 


9.75 


Phillips 


8.75 


Pitkin.. . 


15.75 




6.S75 


Pueblo 


11.25 




9.5 




12. 75 


Routt 


6.25 


Saguache 


4.25 




17. 125 


San Miguel 


9. 125 


Sedgwick 


8.875 


Summit 


11.5 


Teller 


14.5 


Washington 


2.25 


Weld 


6. S75 


Yuma 


5.125 






T otal 


138 











For the purpose of comparison among the counties the percentage 
of high-school enrollment to total enrollment is given. The table 
shows that six counties in the State have no high schools within 
their boundaries, and three report no children attending high schools. 
Eight counties have a high-school enrollment from 2 per cent to 4 



64 



REPORT OK THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



per cent of the total enrollment, 21 reporting approximately 7 
per cent or less. The highest enrollment (17 per cent) is in San Juan 
County, where the county-unit plan practically exists. The wide 
variation is probably clue in large measure to the fact that many 
children live too far from high schools, but some of it must be 
ascribed to the fact that courses in high schools do not always ap- 
peal to the practical interest of high-school pupils and their par- 
ents. About one-half of the high schools in the State, as reported 
by the county superintendents, offer some kind of industrial work. 
The scope of this investigation does net include a study of the 
quality of these courses or the extent of their practical adaptation 
to the needs of the counties in which they are located. . The per 
capita expense of high-school education varies as greatly as the per- 
centage of attendance in the different counties. Eighty-five per cent 
of the total enrollment is in the 70 accredited schools ; the remaining 
15 per cent is scattered among 177 schools. The expense per student 
in the various high schools, as given in the university survey, varies 
from less than $40 to $358. The medians for the State are as fol- 
lows: Four-year accredited, $67; nonaccredited four-year, $71; 
schools with less than four-year courses, $85. 

County high schools do not solve the difficulty of distance. In a 
few instances branches of these high schools have been established 
to bring their facilities more nearly within reach of the school chil- 
dren. The following table shows percentage of territory and post 
offices within 10 and 25 miles of county high schools. 



Table 37. — Percentage of territory and post offices within 10 and 25 miles of 

county high schools. 1 



. 


10 square miles of area. 


25 square miles of area. 


County. 


Percentage 
of area of 
county. 


Percentage 

of post 

offices of 

county. 


Percentage 
of area of 

comity. 


Percentage 

of post 

offices of 

county. 


Bent 


21 
18 
35 
20 
10 
2 20 
18 
18 
32 
20 
47 
46 
10 
11 
35 
13 
13 


12.5 
30.0 
30.0 
12.5 

9.0 
2 55. 
2,5.0 
16.0 
100.0 
20.0 
57.0 
75.0 
12.5 

7.0 
67.0 

8.0 
11.0 


78 
69 
98 
72 
48 
70 
91 
78 
83 
59 
96 
. 100 
46 
69 
100 
59 
58 


75 


Cheyenne 


60 




100 


Eagle 


75 


Gunnison 


73 


Huerfano 


91.0 


Jackson 


100 


Logan 


84 


Mineral 


100 




53 


Ouray 


100.0 


Phillips 


100.0 


Rio Blanco 


62.5 


Saguache 


86 


Sedgwick. 


100 


Washington 


68.0 


Yuma 


44 







i From University of Colorado survey of high schools of the State. 

2 Huerfano County is entitled to a slightly better rating than the figures given, since the La Veta Lnion 
High School is not a part of the county unit, 
s The full-fledged branch at Olathe was also made a center for a circle. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



65 



Summary. — The data on census, enrollment, and attendance as 
given in the Colorado reports are so inaccurate that it is not possi- 
ble to determine the efficiency of the schools so far as their ability 
to hold the children at school regularly is concerned. It is apparent 
that there are far too many short terms and that the compulsory 
attendance law is not enforced in third-class districts; that an ad- 
ministrative system which would gather and compile adequate data 
is very essential in order that the true conditions may be set forth 
and that necessary information may be obtained when needed; and 
that high-school facilities should be made accessible to all the chil- 
dren in the State. It is recommended that the county board of 
education, acting through the county superintendent of schools, have 
charge of the enforcement of compulsory laws and that regular 
truancy officers be appointed ; that all records and reports concerning 
county schools be required to be kept by the county superintendent ; 
and that the county board have charge of the distribution and man- 
agement of high schools. 



(3) RETARDATION. 

The figures on retardation were collected from reports received from 
the teachers of over 30,000 children in rural schools. They were col- 
lected in September, at the time when the children are entering rather 
than completing the grades in which they are listed. For this reason 
the children are given the advantage of about one year in the age 
classification as compared with data collected at the close of the school 
term. It is assumed that children enter school at 6 years of age 
and make one grade a year during the elementary schools. These 
children are classified as making normal progress, those one year 
under this age are classified as making rapid progress, and those 
one year over this age as making slow progress. The totals for the 
State by grades, compiled in this manner, are given in table 39; 
data compiled in a similar way, but allowing two years for the 
normal age, are given in table 40 ; and data by counties are given in 
table 41. A summary of the data for the State as compared with 
similar data for Denver, given in the recent Denver survey, is given 
below. 

Table 38. — Progress in Denver and in rural schools. 





Denver. 


Rural 

schools of 

State. 


Total number 


22, 285 

Per cent. 

20 

47 

33 


30,379 


Rapid progress 


Per cent. 
10 


Normal 


36 




54 







74891°— Bull. 5—17- 



66 



REPORT ON" THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Table 39. — Showing number and percentage of children under age, those mak- 
ing normal progress, those one year over age, and the total making slow 
progress. 



Grade. 


Total. 


Under age. 


Normal prog- 
ress. 


1 year over age. 


Total slow 
progress. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 
cent. 


1 


6,224 
3,942 
3,788 
3,933 
3,569 
3,296 
2,874 
2,753 


686 
328 
374 
450 
356 
415 
264 
268 


11 
8 

10 
11 
10 
13 
10 
10 


3,224 

1,621 

1,417 

1,231 

1,091 

859 

814 

679 


52 
41 
37 
32 
31 
26 
28 
25 


1,408 

1,071 

1,056 

1,099 

945 

932 

873 

813 


23 
27 
28 
28 
27 
28 
30 
30 


2,314 
1,993 
1,997 
2,252 
2,122 
2, 022 
1,796 
1,806 


37 


2 


51 


3 


53 


4 

5 

6 


57 
59 
61 


7 


62 


8 


65 






Total 


30, 379 


3,141 


10 


10, 936. 


36 


8,197 


27 


16. 302 


54 







Table 40. — Showing by grades number and percentages of school children who 
are under age, normal, or retarded for their respective grades. 



Grade. 


Total. 


Under age. 


Normal (2 
years.) 1 


Retarded. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


Num- 
ber. 


Per 

cent. 


1 


6,224 
3,942 
3,788 
3,933 
3,569 
3,296 
2,874 
2,753 


686 
328 
374 
450 
356 
415 
264 
268 


11 
8 
10 
11 
10 
13 
10 
10 


4,632 
2,692 
2,473 
2,330 
2,036 
1,791 
1,687 
1.492 


74 
68 
66 
60 
57 
54 
59 
54 


906 

922 

941 

1,153 

1,177 

1,090 

923 

993 


15 


2 


24 


3 


24 


4 


29 


5. 


33 


6.. 


33 


7 


31 


8. . 


36 








Total 


30, 379 


3,141 


10 


19, 133 


63 


8,105 


27 







See preceding paragraph. 



Table 41. — Showing percentage of children under age, those making normal 
progress, one year over age, and total making slow progress. 



County. 


Total 
children. 


Percentage 

under 

age. 


Percentage 
normal 

progress. 


Percentage 

1 year 
over age. 


Percentage 
total slow 
progress. 


Adams 


1,311 

,54 

463 

49 


11 
9 

15 
8 


39 
26 
40 
39 


27 
26 
26 
24 


50 


Alamosa ■ 


65 


Arapahoe 


45 


Archuleta 


53 


Baca 




Bent 


462 

1,011 

116 

482 

43 

171 

274 

670 

223 

375 

80 

382 

336 

851 

1.119 

1,021 

1,112 


10 
12 
21 
10 
16 

2 

8 
10 

8 
13 
11 
13 
19 
10 
11 

5 
10 


36 
37 
32 
39 
49 
32 
27 
36 
33 
31 
39 
40 
36 
33 
35 
39 
39 


25 
28 
29 
25 
16 
30 
16 
29 
30 
32 
21 
26 
24 
26 
30 
32 
26 


54 


Boulder 


51 


Chaffee 


47 


Cheyenne 


51 


Clear Creek 


35 


Conejos 


66 


Costilla 


65 


Crowley 


54 


Custer 


59 


Delta 


56 




50 


Douglas 


47 


Eagle 


45 


Elbert 


57 


El Paso 


54 


Fremont 


56 


Garfield . : 


51 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 67 

Table 41. — Showing percentage of children under age, etc. — Continued. 



County. 


Total 
children. 


Percentage 

under 

age. 


Percentage 

normal 

progress. 


Percentage 

1 year 
over age. 


Percentage 
total slow 
progress. 




248 
174 
957 

18 
1,092 

63 
626 
737 
699 

99 
595 
815 
673 
341 
772 
429 


14 
10 

9 
22 

7 

10 
12 
13 
11 
14 
10 

6 

2 
13 
10 
13 


44 
36 
43 
17 
24 
32 
41 
28 
37 
38 
35 
36 
30 
32 
34 
37 


25 
30 
26 
22 
23 
29 
26 
30 
24 
23 
24 
27 
27 
27 
27 
23 


42 




54 




48 


Hinsdale . 


61 


Huerfano . . 


69 




58 




47 


Kiowa 


59 


Kit Carson . . 


52 




48 


La Plata 


55 


Larimer 


58 


Las Animas . . 


68 


Lincoln 


55 


Logan 


56 


Mesa 


50 






Moffat • 












Montezuma 


700 
678 
654 
873 
137 


10 
11 
13 
9 
20 


36 
40 
38 
44 
35 


29 
24 
27 
26 
27 


54 


Montrose 


49 




49 


Otero..: 


47 


Ouray 


45 


Park 




Phillips 


316 
55 


11 

22 


36 

38 


27 
24 


53 


Pitkin 


40 






Pueblo 


502 
171 

318 
753 
334 
269 


11 
6 

10 
7 
9 

18 


32 
31 

32 
32 
48 
51 


29 
32 
23 
36 
30 
17 


57 


Rio Blanco 


63 


Rio Grande 


58 


Routt 


61 


Saguache 


43 


San Juan 


31 


San Mieuel 




Sedgwick 


502 

173 

124 

1,134 

2,447 
1,266 


15 

13 
10 
10 
10 
8 


46 
39 
33 
30 
38 
32 


19 
32 
36 
27 
28 
27 


39 


Summit 


48 


Teller 


57 


Washington 

Weld 

Yuma 


60 
52 
60 


Total 


30, 379 


10 


36 


27 


54 



The seriousness of retardation in school is concerned with the re- 
sults to the child himself and the financial loss to the State which 
comes from the added expense of repeating grades. Of these the 
first is more important. It is a serious thing for a child to fail to 
do a year's work in a year and to be forced thereby to go over the 
same ground the second time. Each failure in rural schools extends 
the course one year. If the pupil leaves school at a certain age, 
at the end of the compulsory period, for example, he misses the 
work of as many of the upper grades as he has had failures during 
his course. A large number of children making slow progress are 
in the first four grades. The actual cost of repetition increases the 
cost of education to the extent of the actual per capita cost multiplied 
by the number of children repeating. The actual per capita cost 
in Colorado varies from $35 to $118; if 10 children repeat a grade 
the loss varies from $350 to $1,180. Of the school children from 
whom reports were received, 54 per cent are one or more years over 
age. While not all of these have repeated a year or more during 
their school life, the majority have. 



68 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 41 shows that the seriousness of the retardation problem 
varies in the different counties; in some it is relatively unimportant 
but in others the percentage of slow pupils is very high. In some 
cases^ special schools or classes may be necessary. A course of study 
which includes vocational subjects, better qualified teachers, and 
better organized school work will largely overcome the difficulty in 
the majority of counties. 

Colorado is not a State in which there is a large percentage of 
foreign born, and the slow progress can not be ascribed to any great 
extent to the presence of non-English-speaking children. Among 
the probable causes may be enumerated (1) lack of supervision, (2) 
unqualified teachers, (3) too many grades or too many pupils for 
one teacher and no time for individual work with slow pupils, (4) 
short terms and irregular attendance, (5) a course of study which 
does not provide for children who are more interested in things than 
in books. The remedy is to raise the standard of schools all along 
the line. Fewer pupils and fewer grades in charge of well-trained 
teachers with careful supervision would remedy much of the retarda- 
tion evil. A course of study including vocational work would be 
of more interest and more practical value to so-called backward 
children. 

If the school system were more highly centralized and placed on 
a professional basis, in charge of a superintendent assisted by a 
group of well-trained teachers, the retardation which is not elimi- 
nated under such a system could be made a subject of special study 
and satisfactory methods of dealing with it could then be worked 
out. 

(4) TEXTBOOKS. 

The Colorado law provides that the purchase of free textbooks in 
any school district shall be at the discretion of the qualified electors. 
The board of directors is required to furnish books free to all chil- 
dren when instructed by the voters to do so, and is not permitted to 
change an adopted text oftener than once in four years nor to pro- 
vide more than one kind of text of the same grade or branch of 
study in the same department of a school. Fortunately the latter 
part of this provision is not generally observed in the larger dis- 
tricts, although reports from the teachers indicate that, whether 
from this or some other reason^ very few of the rural schools are 
provided with supplementary material in reading, geography, and 
the other branches. 

Approximately three- fourths of the children of the State are fur- 
nished with textbooks at the expense of the districts in which they 
live. All cities with special superintendents supply books. In two 
counties — San Juan and Sedgwick — all districts furnish books and 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 69 

in 14 additional counties the free-textbook plan is adopted by so 
many districts that it is practically county wide. In 34 counties 
from one-fourth to one-half furnish free textbooks; 11 counties 
report that none are furnished. Of the 1,846 districts in the State, 
845, or approximately 45 per cent, are reported as among those fur- 
nishing books at public expense. However, these enroll approxi- 
mately 75 per cent of the children. 

Kind of hooks. — In the many letters received from teachers 
throughout the State there is almost universal complaint in regard 
to the failure of school directors in rural districts to supply books 
promptly and of a proper kind. On the other hand, school direc- 
tors complain that every teacher wants a different kind of book. An 
examination of the county superintendent's reports confirms both of 
these statements. Many of the books being used are entirely out of 
date and unsuited to the school work of the locality in which they 
are used. From the list of books enumerated in the county superin- 
tendents' reports it appears that at least 10 counties, have practical 
uniformity for the county. In the remaining 52 counties there is a 
wide variety among the counties themselves and among the districts 
within the various counties. In a list of the books used in the 
State as a whole nearly every textbook published is included. While 
too much uniformity may not be desirable, some method of select- 
ing and delivering textbooks which would insure more appropriate 
selection and more prompt delivery and such uniformity as is con- 
sistent with the varied community and industrial conditions, at 
least within the county, should be adopted. The number of differ- 
ent texts used in the State, as reported by the county superintend- 
ents (omitting Denver) is as follows: 

Textbooks : 

Reading 36 

Spelling 4 

Arithmetic 38 

Grammar 29 

History 21 

Geography 20 

Physiology 25 

System : Penmanship 20 

The free textbook law should be made mandatory instead of 
optional, in order that all children in the State may be furnished 
with proper books. Legislation should be passed requiring all pub- 
lishers who wish to do business in the State to submit to the State 
board samples of books with the net price list; to sign a contract 
agreeing to supply books to school authorities at the prices quoted, 
which shall be as low as in other States under similar conditions; 



70 ^ REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

and to file a bond of from $2,000 to $20,000, to be forfeited in case 
the contract is violated. The State board of education should pub- 
lish a list of books the publishers of which have complied with 
the law, with net prices for the convenience of school authorities in 
making their selections. The State board should omit from the 
published lists any undesirable books, even if the publishers have 
complied with the State law relative to filing samples, price list, 
and bond. 

(5) ELEMENTARY COURSE OF STUDY. 

The course of study now in use was issued in September, 1914, 
and is, according to the introduction, a revised edition of the course 
used during the three years preceding the present issue, and a " com- 
posite of the viewpoints of the school people of Colorado." 

From the point of view of administration the most important 
considerations of a State course are that it should help to make for 
better teaching; that it should be adapted to the purpose for which 
it is intended; and that it should be a unified whole. While the 
order of topics and the special methods of teaching can be left 
largel} 7 to the teacher, the selection of topics which are most im- 
portant and best adapted to the purpose for which the course is 
intended and the organization of the subject matter around them 
are matters for the educational expert and not for the teacher. 
Again, the makers of a course of study and those who are to teach 
it must be in harmony as to the purposes of teaching particular 
subjects before deciding upon the topics to teach, the books and 
equipment to adopt, and the method and amount of time to use. 
Therefore in the published course the aims and purposes should be 
clearly set forth and teaching methods suggested. Otherwise a 
teacher may as well " follow the textbook " as the course of study. 

Adaptation. — It is assumed that a State course of study in a State 
like Colorado is preeminently for use in the rural districts and one- 
teacher schools, since the school districts of the towns and cities of 
over 1,000 school population are independent of State or county 
administration. It should therefore be based primarily on the ex- 
periences of the children who attend one-teacher schools, and it 
should be adapted to the organization, grading, and length of term 
of one-teacher schools. Except for the introduction of a few sub- 
jects, such as road making and agriculture, there are no indica- 
tions that the Colorado course is intended for rural schools. There 
is no discrimination made between the needs of rural and city dis- 
tricts. No effort is made to base the subject matter taught in the 
school on the every-day life of the children in and out of school. 
This is apparent in nearly every subject. For example, language, 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 71 

more than any other school subject, may be directly correlated with 
actual use. In its teaching, more than in that of any other subject, 
the motive is supplied without great effort on the teacher's part. 
The difficulty in language teaching is rather to keep up to the present 
needs than to anticipate them, as is sometimes necessary in arith- 
metic and history ; yet this method of teaching language — that is, 
basing the work on the every-day needs rather than following the 
outline or the textbook — is neither emphasized nor referred to in the 
course. Under present conditions in one-teacher schools agriculture, 
cooking and sewing, and probably manual training could be taught 
best in connection with club work, utilizing the out-of-school time on 
the farm and in the home. The work given could then be more 
nearly based on farm and home work, and therefore correlated with 
life, and could be better organized as to time of teaching particular 
items. For example, the wisdom of teaching plant propagation in 
December, when in a climate like that of Colorado neither observa- 
tion nor correlation with home work is possible, is doubtful. Teach- 
ing " packing eggs for winter use " in March may be similarly char- 
acterized. 

Probably but two subjects — music and penmanship — have in view 
the organization of a one-teacher school. To cover 20 subjects, each 
of which is outlined for a full nine-month school year, is prac- 
tically impossible outside of a well-graded school. Agriculture, 
nature study, cooking, sewing, manual training, road making, and 
poultry culture, civics, scientific temperance, etc., are all excellent in 
themselves, but should be correlated with the " three K's," if they 
are to be taught satisfactorily in a one-teacher school. For ex- 
ample, much of the geography and history, especially in the lower 
grades, even as presented in the present course, could be given as 
language just as well as geography or history; the Colorado history 
and Colorado geography could be combined as one subject; the 
course in geography includes much that is really agriculture and 
nature study and duplicates the outlines for these subjects. 

Elsewhere in this report the average rural school term is given as 
seven months. Many schools have much shorter terms. There are in 
the State nearly 1,800 one-teacher rural schools. In many of these all 
the eight grades are taught, and in a majority at least five or six 
grades. If the course of study were followed in such schools, ar- 
ranged as it is for nine-month terms, two years for each grade would 
be necessary. If all the subjects given were taught as outlined — that 
is, on a basis of eight classes in practically every subject — less than 
five minutes would be available for each recitation, and individual 
pupils would have very little of the teacher's time in each subject 
daily. 



72 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

In addition to the correlation of subjects here suggested, there 
are methods of alternating and combining classes particularly ap- 
plicable in one-teacher schools. Definite ideas of such methods, to- 
gether with the outline of the subjects themselves and added sug- 
gestions as to programs for study and recitation, should be given 
in a State course of study for one-teacher schools. It is far easier 
for the teacher to enlarge on the amount of subject matter given in 
the course than it is for her to cut it down. Hence the selecting of 
topics must be done for the teacher when it is impossible to make 
separate outlines for long and for short term schools. A course of 
study for a State like Colorado should make definite provision for 
short-term schools, since the difficult matter for rural teachers, par- 
ticularly untrained ones (of which there are 58 per cent in the 
State) , is to make such an organization for themselves. 

Unity. — The Colorado course includes 20 different subjects. An 
examination of the course fails to reveal any unity, continuity, or 
correlation among these different branches. It seems apparent that 
a course in each subject was arranged by one person or one committee 
of persons working independently of all the others. There is no re- 
lationship or correlation expressed, and none can be found on ex- 
amination, even among the English subjects — reading, language, and 
spelling. These overlap frequently in subject matter, but this over- 
lapping is apparently unintentional and does not consider economy 
of time by combining or alternating the affiliated subjects. In some 
subjects, as, for example, history, an effort is made to present a 
general aim of history study, and some stress is laid upon method. 
The outlines in spelling, reading, and music have stressed the method 
side, while in arithmetic, language, and agriculture, and in geog- 
raphy, with the exception of a few general hints, practically nothing 
is said about methods of presentation. The outlines in language are 
sensible and reasonably easy as to amount of formal grammar pre- 
sented, while geography and history are very inclusive, containing 
many things difficult enough for high -school work. The course in 
language assumes that the teacher has few reference books, and 
specifically states that a number of poems (in reality far too few) 
are included in order that teachers may make such selection from 
those given as are best adapted to their needs, while history and 
geography assume not a paucity of reference and outside reading, 
but a variety of reference material rarely available in a rural school. 
These examples will serve to illustrate the evidence to the effect that 
there is no unity of ideas, purposes, or methods underlying the whole 
course. Each contributor stresses the things that seem important 
to him, and apparently there is little harmony of opinion as to these. 

To summarize, it may be said that a satisfactory State course of 
study to meet the conditions indicated is difficult to formulate. It 



ADMINISTEATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 73 

oirght not to be expected that it can be done by anyone except a pro- 
fessional officer with teaching experience, and one who has made a 
special study of the fundamental principles of education and of the 
values of different subjects in the educational process. The develop- 
ment of the final course should extend over several years of trials 
and adjustments. 

(6) TEACHERS. 

Of the 3,627 teachers in Colorado outside of cities with special 
superintendents to whom questionnaires were sent concerning their 
education, professional training, and teaching experience, only 1,563, 
or 43 per cent of the number, replied. Such an attitude toward 
legitimate requests from an investigating committee for necessary 
information results in a large measure from the fact that there is 
no real school system and no centralization of educational authority 
within the State. 

Number reports sent out 3, 627 

Number reports received 1, 563 

1'er cent answering 43 

Average age of teachers 25 

Number teaching in village schools 492 

Number teaching in one-teacher rural schools 1, 071 

Average number grades in one-teacher schools 5. 5 

Average total enrollment in one-teacher schools 17 

Average teaching experience, in months 28 

Average salary $563 

Average amount paid for board per month $19 

Per cent with satisfactory boarding places 87 

Living inside district in which teaching 1, 384 

Living outside district in which teaching 182 

Living at home 489 

The averages given in this report and in the tables submitted are 
probably better than actual conditions warrant, not only because 
naturally a larger per cent of the better-qualified teachers replied, 
as with other questionnaires, but for the added reason that the 
forms intended only for teachers in the schools with no special 
superintendents really reached many towns with special supervision 
in which salaries, qualifications of teachers, etc., are better than in 
rural schools. For example, San Juan County is included in the 
averages given, though the salaries are all above $1,000, and all of 
the teachers have some training of college grade. Of the 1,563 
teachers who replied 1,071 were in rural one-teacher schools and 492 
in villages. 

Qualifications. — Teaching qualifications are governed by general 
and special education, professional training, experience, and, in a 
general way, age, to the extent, at least, that one should be neither 
too immature nor too old for good service. In two counties the aver- 
age age of teachers is 19 years, indicating that some very young 



74 KEPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

teachers are employed. In no county is the average age greater than 
34 years; the average for the State is 25 years. In one county all 
of the teachers replying reported having no previous experience. In 
several the average experience is less than two years. For the 
State the average is three years — a little less than the average expe- 
rience for rural teachers in the United States as a whole. 

Each year States and cities in larger numbers are raising their 
standards. At the present time a minimum standard in most cities 
in the United States is six years of education (including professional 
subjects) above the elementary school for elementary teachers and 
eight years above the elementary school for high-school teachers. 
Of the teachers replying in Colorado 23 per cent have a general edu- 
cation of less than four years above the elementary school, or the 
equivalent of a high-school course. 

Education of 1,563 rural teachers. 

Per cent. 

With elementary education only 7 

With some secondary education, but not four years 16 

With four years secondary education 35 

With some higher education, but not four years 34 

With four years higher education : 8 

In addition to those teachers who have elementary education only 
and some secondary training, but not the full four years necessary 
for high-school graduation, 35 per cent have graduated from high 
school but have had no education beyond it. This 35 per cent 
with the 23 per cent who have had less than four years above 
the elementary school, or 58 per cent of the total number replying, 
represent the body of teachers who have no professional training 
and only four years or less of general education above the elementary 
grades. Colorado has a much larger percentage of untrained teach- 
ers than the United States as a whole ; a recent investigation by the 
Bureau of Education indicates that about one-third of the total 
number of rural teachers are entirely without professional training. 
Colorado's 58 per cent would be higher if rural teachers only were 
included. Thirty-four per cent of the teachers replying have some 
training, varying from one to three years, above high-school grade. 
Eight per cent have four years of higher education, or eight years 
above the elementary school. It is reasonably safe to say that with 
few exceptions these teachers lack the experience which makes them 
eligible to teach in village or city schools, and will remain in the 
country only long enough to make up for this deficiency. 

Certification. — Judging from the reports received by the bureau 
the majority of teachers in rural schools have second-grade certifi- 
cates. Among the teachers replying there were more than five times 
as many having first as third grade certificates and six times as 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION". 75 

many having second as third grade certificates. Of the total num- 
ber of certificates issued by the county superintendents in 1915-16 
(omitting Denver), approximately 60 per cent were of second, 20 
per cent of first, and 20 per cent of third grade. Of the teachers re- 
plying to the bureau, certificates were held as follows: First-grade 
county, 561, or 36 per cent ; second-grade county, 609, or 39 per cent ; 
third-grade county, 106, or 7 per cent; State certificate, 277, or 17 
per cent ; no certificates, 10. There were between 600 and 700 third- 
grade certificates issued in Colorado in 1915-16, of which only 106 
were held by teachers replying to questionnaires. These figures in- 
dicate that only a small percentage of the teachers holding third- 
grade certificates who are actually emploj^ed in the State replied to 
the questionnaire; that the teachers who did reply were above the 
average; and that the totals given here are better than they would 
be if all the teachers employed were included. 

Neither high-school education nor professional training is neces- 
sary to receive a first-grade Colorado certificate. The examination 
for all three grades of certificates is the same. The subjects included 
are the elementary branches only, with the exception of elementary 
science and theory and practice of teaching. First-grade certificates 
represent an examination average of 90 per cent or more, with no 
branch below 70 per cent; second-grade an examination average of 
80 per cent or more, with no branch below 65 per cent; and third 
grade an examination average of 75 per cent or more, with no branch 
below 60 per cent. The general average may be increased by 5 per 
cent for attendance at a teachers' institute. Twelve months' experi- 
ence is required for a first-grade certificate, but no experience is re- 
quired for certificates of second or third grade. 

Two hundred and seventy-seven teachers holding State certificates 
replied to the bureau's questionnaire. In this group are included 
those holding certificates recommended by the State board of exam- 
iners and those having diplomas from the two teacher- training in- 
stitutions of the State. These certificates and diplomas represent a 
minimum of six years' training above the elementary grades. The 
277 teachers (17 per cent of the total) who hold these certificates 
include all who have any worthy amount of professional training. 
They are probably the only ones eligible to teach in city schools 
when they have the necessary experience. In other words, the teach- 
ing body in rural schools is made up largely of persons who, because 
of lack of training, are not eligible to teach in city schools, and of 
those who, while having the necessary education, are using the coun- 
try schools as training schools in which to receive the experience 
necessary for eligibility to city school work. No greater injustice 
could be done to rural communities who pay their proportional 
share of maintaining normal schools for the purpose of training 



76 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

teachers but receive in return practically nothing for the money thus 
expended. If the limited number of teachers prepared and the kind 
of training given by the normal schools conspire to deprive the rural 
communities of their quota of trained teachers, universal taxation for 
the support of these schools is not justified. 

Salary. — The average salary of the teachers replying is $563 per 
year; the average term, 8 months; or about $70 per school month 
and $48 per calendar month if counted on the basis of 12 months. 
This is higher than the total average for the State as reported by 
the county superintendents, which is $60. In some counties a few 
salaries as low as $30 per school month are paid. The length of term 
in rural districts also varies from 2 to 10 months, as stated in the 
section on attendance. 

Professional spirit. — The interest which rural teachers take in self- 
improvement may be judged somewhat from attendance at insti- 
tutes and summer schools and from the amount of professional read- 
ing done. A large number attend institutes as a preparation for 
teachers' examinations and for the 5 per cent allowed on examina- 
tion grades because of this attendance. A worthy desire for im- 
provement is shown by the 26 per cent who have gone to summer 
school and by the 57 per cent who have read professional books. 

The classroom. — No investigation of classroom instruction was 
made by the Bureau of Education, but some idea of schoolroom organi- 
zation may be obtained from the replies received. The prevailing 
number of grades taught in rural schools in the State is six or seven ; 
some schools have few pupils and only three or four grades, others 
have the whole number, or eight grades. The average enrollment in 
the schools taught by the teachers replying is 17, varying from 8 to 
30 in the different counties. The average number of recitations con- 
ducted daily in the schools of the several counties varies from 16 
to 29, with an average of 22 for all counties. In single schools the 
number of recitations conducted in many cases reported was as high 
as 37. If this be interpreted in terms of the teacher's time per recita- 
tion, it means: If 37 recitations are conducted in a school day of 5 J 
hours, or 330 minutes (exclusive of noon hour and recesses), the 
teacher can devote an average of eight minutes to each class, pro- 
vided not more than half a minute is consumed in passing to and 
from classes and that no time is used for opening exercises or rest 
periods. If 22 recitations are conducted daily, the recitation time 
averages 15 minutes. If first and second grade classes be excepted, 
no recitation can be properly conducted in 15 minutes. There is 
apparently little real effort toward alternation or combination of 
classes. 

Living conditions. — Nearly all of the teachers reporting live or 
board within the district in which they teach. As a rule they have 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 77 

boarding places reasonably satisfactory, though about 13 per cent 
report very objectionable living conditions. 

A few teachers' cottages were reported. Teachers' living expenses 
vary from $16 to $35 per month, the average being $19. 

A large number of letters accompanied the replies to questions 
submitted explaining the difficulty of securing privacy and heated 
bedrooms. Even teachers who reported boarding places reasonably 
satisfactory are not well enough contented with living and salary 
to be willing to remain in the country. Of the teachers reporting, 
61 per cent are teaching their first year in the district, 22 their second 
year, and 16 per cent have taught more than two years. An 
itinerant teaching force can not accomplish satisfactory results nor 
be organized into a body working systematically with continuity 
of purpose or unity of aim. 

The most important consideration in the efficiency of any school 
is the teacher. This is particularly true in rural schools because 
the entire responsibility of organization, management, course of 
study, selection of books, etc., is likely to rest on the teacher. In 
cities where principals and supervisors make frequent visits and 
where there is an organized system, there is a far better chance of 
success for the untrained and inexperienced teachers than in the 
rural schools where there are none of these advantages. Colorado 
needs to insist on better trained teachers, longer tenure, better living 
conditions, and better salaries if good teachers are to be secured 
and retained or if the educational opportunities furnished in rural 
schools are to approximate those furnished in the larger city dis- 
tricts. 

(7) TEACHER TRAINING. 

The committee has pointed out in the preceding section that 58 per 
cent of the teachers replying to the bureau's questionnaire are en- 
tirely untrained and that 83 per cent have not had the equivalent 
of the six years above elementary school prescribed for graduation 
from the State normal school and teachers' college. As the only 
compensation for this deficiency and as the sole means given by all 
but five of the county superintendents for supplying training for 
teachers in service, the State provides summer normal institutes. 
These are attended by rural school teachers almost exclusively and 
very largely by untrained teachers working for higher grade certifi- 
cates. The State may be credited with furnishing for the training 
of teachers for rural schools the 13 summer institutes and the rural 
departments of the teachers' college and State normal school. The 
institutes are treated more at length because their conduct and man- 
agement are among the administrative duties of the State and county 
school officials and because a study of the teacher-training institu- 
tions was not included in the scope of this report. 



78 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Institutes. — Colorado is divided into 13 institute districts, each 
containing from 3 to 11 counties. In each district an institute, 
usually two weeks in length, is held under the management of a 
committee of three county superintendents elected by the superin- 
tendents of all the counties in the district, at a point designated by 
the committee. The total cost of institutes held in Colorado in 1916 
must have approached $15,000. The cost of nine reporting was 
$9,080. The money is obtained from teachers' examination and cer- 
tificate renewal fees (apportioned among the institute districts), in- 
stitute attendance fees, and the county general fund of the counties 
represented in the registration. 

There is a very grave question as to the advisability of expending 
this sum for teachers' institutes. Like many other school arrange- 
ments in Colorado, the institutes were established to meet pioneer 
conditions at a time when the value of professional training was 
underestimated and a short course to prepare prospective applicants 
for the regular teachers' examinations was considered a necessity. 
What the State now needs is increased facilities for professional ed- 
ucation and provision for training teachers in service. The money 
expended would be far more profitably spent if institutes were re- 
placed by two or three day teachers' meetings in every county and 
six- week summer schools located in accessible places. 

For several years the efficiency of teachers' institutes has been the 
subject of discussion and consideration among educators in the 
State. The minutes of the board of examiners show that they have 
found it expedient to impress instructors with the fact that institutes 
should be confined to professional and inspirational work and not 
devoted to preparation for teachers' examinations. A regular teach- 
ers' examination occurs in August, following closely the institute 
session, and there is a good deal of pressure on instructors for 
reviews which help applicants to pass it. 

The Colorado law requires that every institute instructor must 
have a certificate granted by the State board of examiners. The 
minutes of the board are not sufficiently complete to indicate the kind 
of qualifications required. Each application is acted upon as an in- 
dividual case. In a few instances the list of names of instructors for 
1916 contained members of the faculty of the agricultural college, 
the State university, and normal school; but city superintendents 
and school principals and grade teachers from the larger cities pre- 
dominate among the instructors. There is no evidence to show that 
special training for rural-school work or rural-school experience is 
demanded from instructors, though rural teachers only attend. 

The number of institute certificates granted for the years from 
1910 to 1916 are as follows: 1 

1 Not exact — some renewals, some omissions. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



79 



1909-10 _ 79 

1911-12 100 

1913-14 1__ 217 

1915-16 150 

Data from questionnaires sent to the secretaries of the 13 institute 
districts are shown in Table 42. The subjects taught nearly always 
include reviews in the common branches, pedagogy, and primary 
work. The large institutes engage a great many instructors; the 
small ones employ fewer instructors, but cover practically the same 
ground. A large number of the teachers who attend are inexperi- 
enced, and are preparing to take the regular examination which fol- 
lows the institute. A relatively small number, from 10 per cent to 
38 per cent, have secured first-grade certificates, and so can be con- 
sidered as attending for professional help rather than for prepara- 
tion for teachers' examination or for the 5 per cent premium, which is 
added to examination grades for attendance. A large number of the 
attendants are persons, prospective teachers and others, who reside in 
the town in which the institute is held. Of over 2,000 attending the 
reported institutes, 830 paid board while attending and paid railroad 
or stage fare to reach the place of attendance, while 1,230 "did not. 

It is recommended that the summer normal institute be abolished 
and six-week summer schools substituted at five or more points in the 
State selected because of convenience of location. The amount now 
spent on institutes would probably support the suggested number of 
summer schools — at least very little in addition would be needed. 

Table 42. — Data relating to institute*. 1 



District No. 



1.. 

3.. 
4.. 

5.. 
6.. 
7.. 
10. 
11. 
13. 



Total. 
Average 



Enroll- 
ment. 



295 
567 
106 
522 
128 
113 
132 
95 
102 



2, 060 



229 



Paying 
board 
and rail- 
road fare. 



200 

9 

100 

250 

65 

66 

65 

25 

50 



830 



Total 
cost. 



SI, 225 
1,861 
651 
1,907 
724 
777 
736 
617 
582 



9,080 



Number ; Number 
of sub- of in- 
jects, structors. 



Per cent 
no ex- 
perience. 



6 


6 


11 


12 


10 


6 


9 


11 


10 


4 


12 


7 


13 


5 


11 


4 


12 


4 



40 
25 
10 
20 
36 
27 
25 
20 
25 



59 



10 



25i 



Per cent 
taking 
August 
examina- 
tions. 



Per cent 
having 
higher 
grade cer- 
tificates. 



45 
35 
12 
50 
50 
14 
50 
16 



10 
20 
38 
25 
15 
35 
30 
20 
16 



34 



23 



1 No replies were received from secretaries of institute districts Nos. 2, 8, and 12 (E. D. Webb, Boulder; 
Miss Mary Lake, Lamar; Mrs. E. Hinton, Grand Junction). A reply was received from Elmore Floyd, 
Trinidad, secretary of district 9, too late to be included. 

Teacher training. — The State maintains two institutions for the 
training of teachers, one located within convenient reach of the 
counties in the northeastern portion of the State, the other within 
convenient reach of adjacent counties in the southwestern portion 
of the State. The remaining counties of the State are so far from 
either of these institutions that the expense of traveling, added to 



80 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SOHOOL SYSTEM. 

the necessity of paying living expenses away from home, makes at- 
tendance prohibitive to a large number of young people who desire 
to prepare themselves to be teachers. 

In 1916 the State teachers' college and the State normal school 
graduated 337 persons from the regular two-year course. There were 
145 additional graduates from the three, four, or five year courses at 
the teachers' college. The State College of Agriculture maintains a 
department for training teachers in which there are enrolled in the 
fall of 1916 about 30 student teachers. There were 30 graduates of 
the college of education of the university in 1916, and 25 other gradu- 
ates of the university with enough work in education to entitle them 
to State certificates. Altogether the State gave complete courses 
to approximately 575 teachers in 1916. Others, of course, took par- 
tial courses. Over 6,000 teachers are employed. 

The majority of the trained teachers go into the cities and towns 
with special superintendents (see section on teachers). This is due 
partly to superior attractions of city positions, but also to the fact 
that few teachers are trained for rural-school work. The normal 
school at Gunnison and the teachers' college at Greeley both main- 
tain departments for training rural teachers, but the number so 
trained at present is insignificant compared to the number needed. 
Institutes were established for the purpose of bringing teacher- 
training facilities within reach of people in the various localities, but 
the training offered is entirely inadequate for the purpose. It is 
clear that one of the most pressing needs of the State is an exten- 
sion of facilities for training teachers for rural schools either 
through the establishment of additional normal schools under the 
control of the board now in charge of the two teacher-training 
institutions, or through branches of these schools so located that 
they shall be within reach of the portions of the State now remotely 
located from either the teachers' college or the normal school. Prob- 
ably one normal school or branch normal school, well located in the 
thickly populated portion of the western slope, and an additional 
one located in the southeastern part of the State would, with the 
establishment of the summer-school facilities above recommended, 
be sufficient for immediate needs. 

The attitude of educational authorities on this question is indicated 
by the following, quoted from the report of the survey of higher 
education in the State of North Dakota (Education Bulletin, 1916, 
No. 27) : 

If there is need for well-educated, well-trained, and experienced teachers in 
the schools of one community there is equal need for such teachers in all com- 
munities. If the State taxes all the property and all the people of the State 
for the entire or partial support of all the schools of the State to the end that 
the State may have intelligent, virtuous, self-supporting citizens, then the 
State must require every community to put into its schools teachers who are 



ADMINISTRATION" OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION". 81 

prepared t© do their work in such way that the money raised through the taxes 
of the people of the State may not be wasted and the State defrauded in the 
character of its citizenship. 

If the people of all communities contribute to the support of the normal 
schools and other schools in which the teachers are prepared, then they have 
a right to demand that teachers be prepared in such way and in such numbers 
that there may be properly prepared teachers for the schools of each and every 
community and that no community may find it necessary to fill its schools 
with incompetent teachers at the risk of the loss of their money and the time 
and opportunity of their children. The State that assumes the responsibility 
of educating all its children at public expense must assume the accompanying 
responsibilities of determining standards of preparation for its teachers and 
of providing the means and opportunity of preparation for all the teachers 
needed in all its schools to the extent that they are not prepared elsewhere 
and by other means. Otherwise, the State is open to the charges of injustice 
and folly. 

(8) SUPERVISION. 

The data used in this section were obtained from a special ques- 
tionnaire sent out from the Bureau of Education. Of the 62 counties 
in the State, omitting Denver, 40 superintendents replied. Repeated 
requests were sent to the other 22, one replied, but too late for use in 
this report. The 40 who replied include those known to be the most 
capable superintendents in the State. This is to be expected as only 
the best qualified have that professional interest which prompts them 
to comply with requests of this nature. 

Discussion regarding the necessity for adequate supervision of 
rural schools is not within the province of this report. It is suffi- 
cient to say that modern school practice assumes it to be a necessity, 
that practically all of the towns in the United States of 2,500 popu- 
lation or over have provided it, and that many of the progressive 
States in the Union are making provision to extend facilities for 
supervision to the rural communities. Colorado is particularly in 
need of adequate supervision for its country schools, since there are 
so many one-teacher schools and inexperienced and untrained teach- 
ers. The 40 superintendents report 1,436 one-teacher buildings and 
but 21 consolidated schools. The one-teacher rural school is difficult 
to organize, even when trained and experienced teachers are in 
charge. The inexperienced and untrained teachers need professional 
aid and instruction if they are to conduct their schools successfully. 
Such supervision as these schools now receive is given by the county 
superintendents. No assistant superintendents are employed in the 
State. Since the laws governing the election, salary powers, and 
duties of county superintendents were enacted, educational ideals and 
practice have changed materially; and while these laws may have 
answered the purposes for which they were made at the time they 
were made, they are no longer adequate. Education has become an 
established profession. The supervisor must be an educator, not a 
politician, and must be selected because of professional fitness. 
74891°— Bull. 5—17 6 



82 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



Education and training of county superintendents. — The educa- 
tion, training, experience, tenure, and ability of the superintendents 
determine the efficiency of the supervision, if the territory and the 
number of teachers are" small enough to make real supervision pos- 
sible. The salary and manner of selection determine the qualifications 
which can reasonably be expected of supervisors. Trained and 
capable supervisors as a rule insist on being engaged on the basis 
of professional fitness and must be assured of tenure during good 
service and a salary commensurate with the service rendered. When 
the new salary schedule goes into effect after January, 1917, 20 
counties will pay their superintendents an annual salary of $1,500 
or over. The remaining 42 counties, which pay from $1,100 down 
to $100 annually, with a two-year term, can not expect, except acci- 
dentally, to obtain good superintendents. Even the 20 counties 
which pay $1,500 or more must extend the tenure and remove the 
position from politics if efficient service is to be obtained. 

Table 43. — Education of county superintendent above the elementary school, 

and teaching experience. 



County. 


Secondary education. 


Higher education. 


Total. 


Total num- 
ber years 


1 year. 


2 years. 


3 years. 


4 years. 


1 year. 


2 years. 


3 years. 


4 years. 


teaching 
experience. 


1 








X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 










4 
6 
6 
8 
6 
4 
8 
4 
8 
6 
7 
8 
6 
4 





2 










X 
X 






7 


3 












11 


4 










X 


20 


5 










X 




7 


6 















7 














X 


4 


8 














12 


9 














X 


16 


10 










X 




5 


11 








X 


X 


10 


12 












12 


13 










X 




9 


14 












8 


15 














X 


8 10 


16 






X 








3 
6 
6 
2 
8 
8 
4 
8 
6 
6 
6 
4 
4 
2 
6 
4 

6 
4 
8 
6 
8 
4 
4 
4 


12 


17... 






X 
X 




X 
X 






6 


18 












5 


19 




X 











20 






X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 








X 
X 


8 


21 














44 


22 














13 


23 














X 


2 


24 










X 
X 
X 




12 


25 















26 












13 


27 










16 


28 
















19 


29 




X 












9 


30 






X 

X 




X 






7 


31 












8 


32 



















33 








X 

X; 

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 




X 






13 


34 












5 


35 














X 


6 


36 










X 




13 


37.. 










X 


15 


38 














7 


39 
















5 


40 
















17 





















ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 83 

The educational qualifications of the 40 superintendents who re- 
ported to the Bureau of Education are given in Table 43. A sum- 
mary follows: 

Summary of Table I^S. 

Attended elementary school only 1 

Attended secondary school : 

1 year only 

2 years only 2 

3 years only 1 

4 years only 12 

Higher education : 

1 year only . 

2 years only 13 

3 years only 1 

4 or more years 10 

Total 40' 

Seven of these 40 have an A. B. degree. 

Seven others have the degree of Pd. B., which is given by the State teachers 
college for two years above a standard high-school course. 

No teaching experience 5 

Less than 5 years' teaching experience 2 

5 years' teaching experience 4 

More than 5 years' teaching experience 29 

Eight years of education above the eighth grade, including pro- 
fessional training, is the minimum of educational requirements for 
superintendents in practically every city of 2,500 or over in the 
United States, including those in Colorado. The University of 
Colorado does not accredit high schools unless the teachers engaged 
have eight years of training above the elementary schools, or its 
equivalent. It is difficult to understand why persons with less 
training are selected as county superintendents. The position is 
surely of as much importance as the two mentioned, and the work 
much more difficult. The above summary shows, however, that 40 per 
cent of the superintendents reporting have only the equivalent of a 
high-school education or less, four years or less above the elementary 
schools. 

Of the 40 superintendents reporting, 5 had some previous experi- 
ence of a supervisory nature, 35 had some teaching experience, and 5 
had no teaching experience of any nature when they assumed their 
duties .as county superintendents. The tenure of office for all county 
superintendents in the State has been given. (See p. 28.) The sum- 
mary below shows the tenure for the* 40 reporting on the special 
inquiry. It may be noted that the superintendents not replying are 
nearly all serving their first term. 



84 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

Table 44. — Tenure of supefintcndents. 



Per cent. 




Serving first term 

Serving second term 

Serving third term 

Serving fourth, term 

Total 

Expenditure for county supervision. — The salaries of the county 
superintendents reporting varies from $100 to $2,800 and averages 
$1,027 per year. The mileage allowed varies from nothing to $300. 
The average total expenditure of the county superintendents' offices 
in the State, including salary, mileage, and current expenses, amounts 
to $1,433. (See Table 45.) An effort was made to compare this with 
the total expenditure of other county offices. Satisfactory data could 
not be obtained. The average expenditure of the county clerks' offices 
for the years 1913 and 1914, taken from the auditor's report and 
averaged for the first 14 counties given in that report, was $3,770. 
This omits Denver but includes some of the smaller counties, one at 
least in which the total expenditure for the county superintendent's 
office is but $115. It seems probable that frugality in the manage- 
ment of county offices is practiced chiefly in making the allowance for 
the county superintendent of schools. Five counties allow no travel- 
ing expenses, although the superintendent in one of these counties 
reports traveling 8,000 miles at her own expense. Another superin- 
tendent traveled 4,000 to visit each teacher once. Some of the very 
large counties are among the most densely populated; for example, 
Weld, with an area of 4,000 square miles, has 300 teachers under the 
supervision of the county superintendent in addition to those in 
first-class districts with superintendents. 

Eight of the 40 superintendents reporting do not give their full 
time to their work as county superintendents. The salary does not 
justify it. Those' giving full time visit their schools once or twice a 
year, and in a few small counties four or more visits are possible. 
These superintendents spend from one to three hours in each visit. 
They report in some cases as high as 90 per cent of the teachers 
teaching for the first time in the districts in which they are employed, 
the average for the 40 counties being 50 per cent. Sixteen per cent 
of all the teachers in these counties have no previous experience. 
When it is remembered that the majority of these teachers '(1,436) 
are teaching all or nearly all. of the elementary grades, and more than 
one-half of them are new to the particular district in which they 
are teaching, and that 16 per cent are entirely inexperienced, the 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 



85 



seriousness of the supervisory problem may be realized. It should 
also be remembered that these teachers are selected by a great many 
different directors, whose idea of a teacher's qualifications are by no 
means unified or consistent. The reports from the county superin- 
tendents show that few directors consult them in regard to the 
teachers employed. In many counties the superintendent is not 
consulted at all, but the teachers, in the words of a county superin- 
tendent, are " hired mostly on pull." (See Table 46.) 

Table 45. — Amount expended for county superintendent' 's office. 



County. 



Tenure 


Annual 


(years). 


salary. 


4 


SI, ICO 


2 


1,100 


2 


1,100 


2 


1,100 


2 


800 


2 


1,200 


2 


800 


2 


800 


2 


1,200 


4 


100 


2 


1,100 


2 


1,100 


4 


1,100 


2 


2,800 


7 


1,200 


2 


500 


2 


100 


4 


500 


4 


1,200 


4 


1,100 


4 


1,200 


2 


800 


2 


1,200 


4 


500 


4 


800 


2 


1.200 


8 


1,200 


2 


1,100 


4 


1,100 


4 


1,100 


2 


2,000 


1 


500 


6 


1,100 


4 


1,100 


4 


500 


2 


500 


4 


500 


2 


2,000 


4 


2,000 


2 


800 



Travel al- 
lowance. 



Total 
annual 
expendi- 
ture. 1 



Adams 

Alamosa 

Bent 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 

Conejos 

Crowley 

Custer 

Delta 

Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso.... 
Garfield.... 

Grand 

Hinsdale . . . 

Kiowa 

Lake 

La Plata . . . 

Larimer 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Montezuma 
Montrose... 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Pitkin 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco. 
Rio Grande 
Saguache... 
San Juan... 
Sedgwick . . 

Summit 

Teller 

Weld 

Yuma 



$300 
240 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 



300 
50 
300 
300 
300 



300 
150 



300 
200 
200 
300 
300 
150 



300 
300 
300 
200 
300 
300 



200 

150 

200 

15 

300 

85 



300 



11, 700 
1,340 
1,400 
1,500 
1.100 
1, 050 
1,200 

820 
1,520 

150 



1,400 

1,600 

4,200 

1,600 

700 

115 

920 

1,500 

1,300 

1,950 

1,400 

1,550 

550 

1,200 

1,700 

1,915 

1,500 

1,500 

1,450 

2,000 

700 

1,300 

1,400 

548 

800 

600 

2,500 

2,800 

1,250 



1 For all purposes, including salaries, supplies, and travel allowance. 

Note. — One full-time assistant in El Paso County, salary $1,200 per annum, and part-time assistants in 
Larimer and Otero Counties, salaries $225 and $240, respectively. 

It is to be expected that county superintendents selected as they 
are in Colorado, with a tenure so uncertain, and with so slight 
a premium placed upon educational qualification for their work, 
would have very little idea of the necessity for training teachers in 
service. Only 5 of the 40 superintendents report that they have made 
any arrangements of value for this phase of teacher training. These 



86 



REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 



five have monthly teachers' meetings or group study sections. The 
size of the territory and the expense of traveling sometimes make 
such arrangements difficult, but resourceful superintendents find 
other practicable ways of meeting the problem. 

Table 46. — Concerning the amount of work involved in county supervision. 



County. 



Adams 

Alamosa 

Bent 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne . . 
Conejos. . .. 

Crowley 

Custer 

Delta 

Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso 

Garfield 

Grand 

Hinsdale . . . 

Kiowa 

Lake, 

La Plata . . . 

Larimer 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Montezuma 
Montrose... 

Otero. 

Ouray 

Park 

Pitkin 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco. 
Rio Grande 
Saguache... 
San Juan... 
Sedgwick . . 

Summit 

Teller 

Weld 

Yuma 



Total 
number 
of build- 
ings in 
super- 
visory 
territory. 



67 
20 
34 
30 
60 
30 
25 
22 
37 
11 
37 
36 
91 
115 
54 
19 
6 
55 
12 
48 
62 
96 
65 
9 
37 
33 
30 
18 
35 
20 
73 
30 
25 
35 
4 
29 
10 
17 
240 
109 



One- 
teacher 
buildings. 



54 
16 
26 
26 
58 
21 
19 
21 
28 
10 
32 
16 
81 
105 
39 
15 

4 
51 

9 
35 
50 
85 
25 

3 
30 
19 
19 
15 
33 
14 
45 
28 
25 
28 

3 
25 

6 

14 

200 

102 



Total 
number 

of 
teachers. 



99 
24 
38 
35 
68 
60 
53 
18 
50 
12 
47 
40 
102 
135 
84 
23 
9 
70 
12 
66 
100 
158 
200 
10 
61 
55 
45 
19 
37 
19 
98 
33 
26 
55 
16 
43 
18 
17 
300 
123 



Per cent 

of 
teachers 
teaching 
first time 
in the 
district. 



■15 
50 
70 
20 
33 
10 
40 
75 
48 
88 
60 
50 
63 
5S 
40 
90 
33 
56 
8 
54 
65 
40 
25 



84 
56 
53 
63 
50 
50 
75 



50 
60 
25 
50 
50 
50 
<6b 
GO 



Per cent 
county 
superin- 
tendent's 

time 
given to 
super- 
vision. 



33 
30 
25 
33 
33 
16 
50 
50 
25 
5 
75 
33 
50 
50 
50 
25 
33 
75 
33 
28 
33 
33 
50 
75 
50 
20 
33 
20 
33 
25 
25 
25 
50 
25 
50 
50 
25 
50 
33 
25 



Average 

number 

of visits 

per 

year. 



2 

3 
2 
3 

H 

2 

3 

3 

2 

1 

4 

3 

2 

1 

2 

2 

3 

1 

4 

f 

1 
2 
9 
3 
2 

2* 

4 

4 

3 

1 

2 

3 

3 

4 

3 

3 

5 

1 

1* 



Community interest, — Apparently all of the county superintend- 
ents reporting realize the importance of arousing the interest of their 
communities in the schools, yet actively organized work seems to be 
confined very largely to parent-teacher association. Nearly all the 
counties have some of these organizations in connection with their 
schools, and report them as being very helpful. One county super- 
intendent receives help from the chamber of commerce. None re- 
port any help from the grange or farmers' organizations. The few 
consolidated schools which exist seem to be made the center of 
count} 7 -play festivals, teachers' meetings, and similar activities. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 87 

Two rural lyceum courses are reported in the State, both from con- 
solidated districts. 

Summary. — It is evident that real school supervision on the part of 
the county superintendent is impossible in Colorado under existing 
conditions. The lack of organization among districts, the uncertain 
tenure of the county superintendents, the size of the territory, and 
the number of teachers to supervise conspire to make real supervision 
impossible. If the county system recommended were adopted, it 
would be possible to employ superintendents of experience who were 
fitted and trained for the work of supervision and to pay salaries 
which would enable the boards to retain them as long as they proved 
efficient. In addition, assistant supervisors should be furnished in 
order that teachers might be given direct assistance in the organiza- 
tion of the school and in the regular classroom work. 

(9) CONSOLIDATION. 

It is not necessary to discuss here the desirability of consolidating 
country schools. School administration authorities, recognize that 
the one-teacher school is inefficient and uneconomical, and they are 
using every effort to bring consolidation about wherever conditions 
are favorable. The movement is very rapid in many parts of the 
country, particularly in the States with township or county systems 
of management. States on the district basis, like Colorado, make 
little headway in this matter, except where special State aid is given. 
This is not to be recommended. Consolidation would be better pro- 
moted if a system of general administration favorable to it were 
adopted. 

Colorado has made little progress in consolidation, although there 
are many locations where it is needed. This is indicated by the 
data given in tables 47 and 48. A large number of these small dis- 
tricts with small enrollment and attendance and with too low a valu- 
ation to support good schools are so located that consolidations are 
entirely practicable. There are in the State in all 20 consolidated 
schools located in 11 counties. Lack of a system favorable to the 
movement is the principal reason why the number is so small. 
Also there has been no serious campaign for consolidation except 
that carried on by the department of rural and industrial education 
of the State college of agriculture, assisted by a few local county 
superintendents and school officers immediately concerned. 



88 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

» 

Table 47. — Districts with small enrollment and attendance and short terms. 





School 

districts 
with cen- 
sus 6 to 
21 years 
less than 
15. 


Districts with average daily 
attendance of — 


Districts maintaining school — 


County. 


Less 
than 5. 


5, 6, or 7 


8, 9, or 10 


Less than 
100 days. 


100 to 
110 days. 


110 to 

120 days. 


120 to 
140 days. 


Adams 


3 

2 



1 


3 
3 


1 
2 



1 



1 






1 


Alamosa 


2 






Archuleta 





1 


4 


1 


3 








4 






Bent 




15 
15 


5 






8 
8 

3 
2 




1 

5 
4 


2 




2 

6 
5 

1 
1 





4 
2 


3 

1 








1 



1 
2 



1 




5 


Boulder 


4 


Chaffee 


2 


Cheyenne 





Clear Creek 


2 


Conejos 


11 


Costilla 


4 


Crowley 









Delta ' 


















Dolores 



15 

5 




11 

2 


1 
6 
2 




5 




2 








i 


Douglas 


1 5 


E agle 


i 1 


Elbert 


1 


El Paso . 


13 
10 
2 
7 
3 
11 
2 
1 


8 
4 

5 
3 
6 
1 
1 


7 
3 
3 
3 
2 
4 

2 


9 
3 
5 

2 
5 
1 
5 








Fremont 


1 



1 




2 


1 






5 





1 







4 


Garfield 


5 


Gilpin 


3 


Grand 


4 


Gunnison 


2 


Hinsdale 


1 


Huerfano 


8 






Jefferson 


14 

> 17 
3 
3 
4 
2 
3 
7 
1 
1 
3 
3 



3 


8 

10 
2 

3 
2 

1 


2 




3 


6 

10 

2 
5 
7 
1 
9 

2 
4 
2 






7 

10 

2 
1 
7 
5 
2 
4 


3 
3 


2 
2 




1 


1 


5 


1 




1 













2 
2 



1 








1 ! 8 


Kiowa 


6 


Kit Carson 


13 


Lake 


1 


La Plata 


1 


Larimer 


4 


Las Animas 


20 


Lincoln 


8 


Logan 


11 


Mesa 





Mineral 





Moffat 


1 3 


Montezuma 


5 


Montrose 


1 


Morgan 


1 


Otero 





Ouray 


1 






Phillips 


6 
4 
5 
5 
3 
5 
2 
7 


9 
2 
6 


1 
2 
2 
3 

2 

3 


4 
1 
1 


4 
1 
3 
■ 5 
3 
4 
2 
2 

1 
7 

5 


3 
3 

4 
4 

2 
7 
8 

1 
3 
2 





1 






1 

5 





1 

















4 


Pitkin 





Prowers 


11 


Pueblo 


5 


Rio Blanco 


3 


Rio Grande 


2 


Routt 


1 5 


Saguache 


6 


San Juan 





San Miguel 


1 1 


Sedgwick 





Summit 


2 


Teller 


1 2 




















Yuma 


6 





5 


14 








| 22 






State 


233 


114 


145 


153 


37 


13 


12 ! 212 









ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION". 89 

Table 48. — Districts with small valuation and number with low local levy. 



County. 



Adams 

Alamosa 

Arapahoe. . . 
Archuleta . . 

Baca 

Bent....... 

Boulder 

Chaffee 

Cheyenne... 
Clear Creek. 

Conejos 

Costilla 

Crowley 

Custer 

Delta 

Dolores 

Douglas 

Eagle 

Elbert 

El Paso 

Fremont 

Garfield 

Gilpin 

Grand 

Gunnison . . . 
Hinsdale . . . 

Huerfano 

Jackson 

Jefferson 

Kiowa 

< Kit Carson . . 

Lake 

La Plata 

Larimer 

Las Animas . 

Lincoln 

Logan 

Mesa 

Mineral 

Moffat 

Montezuma. 

Montrose 

Morgan 

Otero 

Ouray 

Park 

Phillips 

Pitkin 

Prowers 

Pueblo 

Rio Blanco.. 
Rio Grande. 

Routt 

Saguache 

San Juan 

San Miguel . . 

Sedgwick 

Summit 

Teller 

Washington . 

Weld , 

Yuma 

State . 



Districts 

with 

valuation 

less than 

$20,000. 



Districts 

with 

valuation 

between 

$20,000 

and 
$40,000. 



Districts with special local mill levy of — 



Less 
than 1 
mill. 



1 mill 

but less 

than 2 

mills. 



10 to 12 
mills. 



12 to 14 
mills. 



14 to 15 
mills. 



15 to 16 
mills. 



16 mills 
plus. 




































1 

















1 

21 



16 



27 



50 



1 
12 
7 
1 
9 
3 
9 


2 

1 



184 



70 































































c 





1 






90 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

(10) STATUS OF CONSOLIDATION IN COLORADO.* 

The first two consolidations took place in Mesa County in 1911. The first 
was at Loma, where three one-room schools were abandoned and replaced by 
a $14,000 eight-room, brick building with stone trimmings. The building has 
a good assembly room, five teachers are now employed, about 150 children are 
enrolled and two years of high-school work are offered. 

The second consolidation was at Appleton, northwest of Grand Junction. 
The legality of this consolidation was tested in the courts and the case was 
carried through the Supreme Court. Consolidation was finally effected and a 
beautiful 10-room, stucco building was erected and dedicated in 1912. This 
school replaced a one-teacher, a two- teacher, and a three-teacher school. The 
new school has been a marked success from the beginning. It offers a full 
four-year high-school course, employs seven well-trained teachers and enrolls 
about 175 children. Thirty-five were enrolled in the high school last year. 
This school has made a record for attendance and the efficiency of the work in 
all departments. It has a well equipped manual training shop, a school 
orchestra, boys' and girls' clubs and in every way is a most excellent school. 

The Fruitvale school is located 2 miles east of Grand Junction, and instead 
of having one large building has three less expensive ones arranged somewhat 
on the cottage plan. The school was also established in 1911 and is one of 
the most successful schools anywhere from the standpoint of its organiza- 
tion and the efficiency of its work. Nine thoroughly trained teachers are 
employed ; the school is organized on the 6-6 plan, with the junior and senior 
high school. Two hundred children were enrolled last year, out of a census 
of 205. Sixty-one of these were enrolled in the high school. This is a very 
remarkable showing, when it is known that this school is less than 2$ miles 
from Grand Junction High School. This school has a well-equipped domestic 
science department, in charge of a graduate of the Colorado Agricultural 
College. Milk testing, seed testing, boys' and girls' clubs have been carried 
on successfully as a part of the school work. Four wagons transport 100 
children to and from school. This school has a larger percentage of its enrol- 
ment in the high school, and last year had a higher daily attendance than any 
other high school in Colorado. 

The Uncompahgre school is located in Montrose County, 10 miles from the 
city of Montrose. Three schools were consolidated here, and a $9,600 bungalow- 
style building, consisting of six rooms, was erected. Four teachers are em- 
ployed, and the school is a branch of the Montrose County high school, two 
years of high-school work being offered. 

The Avondale school is located in Pueblo County, 12 miles east of Pueblo. 
Three districts were consolidated here and three one-room schools abandoned 
in 1911. A substantial six-room building has been erected and some high-school 
work is offered. 

Another consolidation school was formed adjoining this one, and it is also 
called the Avondale school, since it is located near the Avondale Station on the 
Missouri Pacific Railway. This consolidation took place in the early part of 
1916, and a modern new building has just been completed and is being occupied 
for the first time this year. High-school work is also offered. 

The Cache La Poudre school, located 6 miles from Fort Collins, was estab- 
lished in the fall of 1913. Here a $25,000 brick and stone building replaces five 

1 By C. G. Sargent, professor of rural and industrial education, State college of agri- 
culture ; prepared at the request of the Bureau of Education. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION". 91 

one-room schools and one two-room school. The new school is located on a 
beautiful 5-acre site, on which is a small orchard in bearing. Nine well- 
trained teachers are employed. Agriculture, manual training, and domestic 
science are taught by well-trained teachers ; also music and drawing. The 
school building is modern in every respect and has pure mountain water from 
bubbling fountains on each floor. It has indoor toilets and all other modern 
equipment. It has 11 classrooms, a large assembly room, and furnishes 5 rooms 
in which the janitor and his wife live. The district also furnishes a com- 
fortable teacherage, supplied with mountain water and bath. The school 
board has taken a three-year lease on a five-room house and "If acres of land 
adjoining the school property and subrents this to another one of the teachers, 
who is also a married man, so the district is really furnishing a home for the 
superintendent, for the principal of the grades, and for the janitor, and their 
families. Of the nine teachers, three are men and six are women. The super- 
intendent and principal are employed on a two-year contract and are paid 
each month of the year. The superintendent draws a salary of $1,400 a year 
and his house rent and garden ground are furnished free. The school has made 
an enviable record for enrollment, attendance, and the high character of its 
work. Two hundred and twenty-five pupils are now enrolled, 53 of which are 
in the high school. Seven transportation wagons convey 160 children to and 
from school each day. 

Fort Lupton. — Two country schools consolidated with the town school at 
Fort Lupton and a $23,000 building was erected. Eight teachers are employed 
and 360 pupils are enrolled, about 60 of whom are in the high school. Two 
transportation wagons are used to bring in the country children. This school 
has an excellent record for good work in all departments. 

Kersey. — Three districts consolidated here in 1914. Five teachers are em- 
ployed ; some high-school work is offered ; three wagons are used to transport 
the children, and the school has been a pronounced success. 

Three schools united in Gill, also in Weld County, about 8 miles from 
Greeley. A new building was erected and school began in the new district 
September last. 

Two districts consolidated at Gilchrist, Weld County. The organization has 
been completed, but the new building is not yet finished. 

Three other districts in Weld County, just east of Longmont, consolidated 
in August and are now working out plans for a new building and will perfect 
their organization and have everything ready to start work in the school in 
1917. At present the schools- are being continued in the old buildings. 

Parker, Douglas County. — Three one-room schools were consolidated here 
and were replaced by a good four-room brick building. High-school work. is 
offered. Three wagons are used to transport the children and the school has 
been a marked success from the beginning. 

Late in the summer of 1916 the Castle Rock district and an outlying coun- 
try district were consolidated, and the children from the country district are 
transported to the Castle Rock school. 

La Jara, Conejos County. — Three schools were consolidated in 1914 — two 
one-teacher and one three-teacher schools. A $35,000 modern building, located 
on a 10-acre site, has replaced them. A full four-year high-school course is 
offered. Two hundred and seventy-five children are enrolled, 55 of whom are 
in the high school. Eight strong teachers are employed. Agriculture and 
domestic science are included in the course of study. This school has 15 
classrooms, a beautiful assembly room, and has its own electric light and 



92 REPORT ON THE COLORADO SCHOOL SYSTEM. 

water plant, supplying under pressure from an artesian well. It has indoor 
toilets and all other modern conveniences. The district owns two large auto- 
trucks, which bring the children from a distance of 11 miles. It also owns one 
transportation wagon. As a result of the success of this school, two other 
consolidations were effected in adjoining counties during the spring of 1916 — ■ 
one at Mosca, Alamosa County, where two districts united, the other situated 
10 miles north of Monte Vista, in Rio Grande County. Three one-room schools 
were united here. The consolidation organization has been effected, but the 
building is not yet completed. 

Dailey, Logan County. — Three and one-half districts were consolidated here, 
four one-room schools were abandoned and replaced by a $12,500 build- 
ing. It is located on a 5-acre site. It has its own water and lighting sys- 
tem, a modern assembly room, and good equipment. School began in this new 
building September last. High-school work is offered, and the district owns 
three automobiles in which the children are transported. The district com- 
prises what was once three and one-half districts, and is all included within 
one township. 

Hygiene, Boulder County. — Two districts consolidated here. A new building 
is being erected on a 5-acre site, and will soon be ready for occupancy. High- 
school work is now offered. 

Englewood. — Two second-class districts were consolidated here, making a 
first-class district, with nearly 1,100 children and 26 teachers. This consolida- 
tion took place in April, 1916. One superintendent now has charge of the 
schools. A good high school has been established, and a great improvement has 
been effected as a result of the consolidation. 

All except three or four of these schools offer four years of high-school work, 
and it is the purpose of the others to do so as rapidly as they grade up to 
it. The Appleton, Fruitvale, Cache La Poudre, and Fort Lupton schools 
are accredited with the State university. Between 450 and 500 pupils were 
enrolled in these new consolidated high schools, and their success amply jus- 
tifies a much wider extension of consolidation in many counties throughout 
the State. 

(n) SUMMARY. 

The conditions set forth in this section show the need of entire 
reorganization of the plan of administration and support for the 
rural schools of the State. A majority of the school buildings are 
insanitary as to lighting, heating, and ventilating. They are poorly 
equipped as to cloakrooms, workrooms, blackboards, supplementary 
reading material, etc. Satisfactory outhouses are not provided, and 
playgrounds suitable for games and play are found only at a few 
rural schools. 

The teachers are selected with little regard to educational and 
professional qualifications and experience. The course of study is 
not adapted to the organization of the one- teacher school, and there 
is practically no supervision worthy of the name. Consolidation, 
the most necessary reform for efficiency and economy in the conduct 
of rural schools, has made little progress in the State. In only 12 
of the 62 counties are there any consolidated schools. 



ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION. 93 

These important matters would receive attention, and educational 
opportunities in the State might approximate equality regardless of 
the accident of location in city or country, if the State and county 
boards of education recommended were adopted. A State superin- 
tendent and county superintendents selected because of professional 
fitness for and experience in administrative and supervisory work 
would create the sentiment and furnish the leadership to substitute 
satisfactory conditions for whatever unsatisfactory ones now exist. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 







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